Broadcasting information related to hazards impacting vehicle travel

ABSTRACT

A system of broadcasting information related to hazards impacting vehicle travel may include a mobile device configured to: (1) mount within a vehicle dashboard cradle so that the mobile device is positioned to take images forward of a vehicle; (2) collect telematics data, with customer permission or affirmative consent, when the vehicle is moving, including GPS location, speed, heading, lane, braking, cornering, acceleration, and/or route data of the vehicle; (3) generate an alert based upon the telematics data and the images, and/or broadcast data including the images and the telematics data; and/or (4) broadcast the alert and/or the data collected to (a) a nearby vehicle(s) and/or (b) a smart infrastructure component(s) to facilitate warning of hazards upon the nearby vehicle(s) and/or the smart infrastructure component(s) receiving and processing the alert and/or the broadcasted data. Insurance discounts may be generated based upon the risk mitigation or prevention functionality.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of (1) U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/105,468, entitled “Broadcasting Telematics Data ToNearby Mobile computing devices, Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filedJan. 20, 2015, (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/113,749,entitled “Broadcasting Telematics Data To Nearby Mobile computingdevices, Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filed Feb. 9, 2015, (3) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/204,749, entitled “BroadcastingTelematics Data To Nearby Mobile computing devices, Vehicles, AndInfrastructure,” filed Aug. 13, 2015, (4) U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/207,561, entitled “Generating Alert Notifications ByBroadcasting Telematics Data To Nearby Mobile computing devices,Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filed Aug. 20, 2015, (5) U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/232,035 entitled “Generating AlertNotifications By Broadcasting Telematics Data To Nearby Mobile computingdevices, Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (6) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/232,045, entitled “GeneratingAlert Notifications By Broadcasting Telematics Data To Nearby Mobilecomputing devices, Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filed Sep. 24, 2015,(7) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/232,050, entitled“Determining Abnormal Traffic Conditions From A Broadcast Of TelematicsData Originating From Another Vehicle,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (8) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/232,054, entitled “TakingCorrective Action Based Upon Telematics Data Broadcast From AnotherVehicle,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (9) U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/232,065, entitled “Analyzing Telematics Broadcast To DetermineTravel Events And Corrective Actions,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (10) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/232,075, entitled “ProvidingInsurance Discounts Based Upon Usage Of Telematics Data-Based RiskMitigation And Prevention Functionality,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (11) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/232,083, entitled “DeterminingCorrective Actions Based Upon Broadcast Of Telematics Data OriginatingFrom Another Vehicle,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (12) U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/232,090, entitled “Determining Corrective ActionsBased Upon Telematics Data Broadcast From Another Vehicle,” filed Sep.24, 2015, (13) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/232,097,entitled “Generating Alert Notifications By Broadcasting TrainTelematics Data To Nearby Mobile computing devices, Vehicles, AndInfrastructure,” filed Sep. 24, 2015, (14) U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/247,334, entitled “Generating Alert Notifications ByBroadcasting Train Telematics Data To Nearby Mobile computing devices,Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filed Oct. 28, 2015, and (15) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/250,286, entitled “GeneratingAlert Notifications By Broadcasting Train Telematics Data To NearbyMobile computing devices, Vehicles, And Infrastructure,” filed Nov. 3,2015, the disclosure of each of which is hereby expressly incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle travel and, moreparticularly, to using data related to vehicle travel to facilitatesafer vehicle travel.

BACKGROUND

Conventional telematics devices may collect certain types of data thatrelate to operation of a vehicle. However, conventional telematicsdevices and data gathering techniques may have several drawbacks.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, telematics data, geographic location data, and/or image,audio, and/or video data may be collected, monitored, measured, and/orgenerated by one or more computing devices associated with a vehicle.The telematics data may include various metrics that indicate thedirection, speed, and/or motion of the vehicle with which the data isassociated. The geographic location data may include a geographiclocation of the vehicle, such as latitude and longitude coordinates, forexample. The image, audio, and/or video data may include data collectedby the one or more computing devices when the one or more computingdevices are positioned to take images and/or collect audio and/or videodata forward of and/or in a vicinity of the vehicle. For instance, theone or more computing devices may be mounted in a vehicle dashboardcradle(s). In various aspects, the one or more computing devices maycollect such image, audio, and/or video data associated with an interiorand/or an exterior of the vehicle.

The one or more computing devices may include a mobile computing devicepositioned within the vehicle, a smart vehicle control system orcomponents thereof, an on-board computer integrated within the vehicle,and/or a combination of these devices working in conjunction with oneanother. The one or more computing devices may broadcast the telematicsdata, the geographic location data, and/or the image, audio, and/orvideo data to one or more other devices, such as one or more othercomputing devices, nearby vehicles, and/or infrastructure components(e.g., “smart” infrastructure, as further discussed below), etc.Additionally or alternatively, the one or more computing devices maygenerate an alert when a hazard is detected from analysis of thetelematics data, the geographic location data, and/or the image, audio,and/or video data, as further discussed below. In some aspects, the oneor more computing devices may additionally or alternatively broadcastthe alert to one or more other computing devices, nearby vehicles,and/or infrastructure components, etc.

The telematics data, the geographic location data, and/or the image,audio, and/or video data may be received and/or processed by one or moreother computing devices to determine whether an anomalous conditionexists, such as a traffic accident, for example. These one or more othercomputing devices may be external computing devices (e.g., a remoteserver), another mobile computing device(s) (e.g., associated with anearby vehicle(s)), a smart vehicle control system(s) or componentsthereof (e.g., associated with a nearby vehicle(s)), an infrastructurecomponent (e.g., a traffic light, which may be a “smart” traffic lightas further discussed below), etc. If an anomalous condition is detected,the geographic location of the vehicle associated with the telematicsdata may be used as a condition to decide whether to generate an alertat (or send an alert notification to) the one or more other computingdevices. Additionally or alternatively, the alert may be broadcast asdiscussed above, and may be received and/or processed by the one or moreother computing devices to facilitate warning other drivers and/or smartvehicles of the anomalous condition.

In one aspect, a system of broadcasting information related to hazardsimpacting vehicle travel may be provided. A system may include: a mobilecomputing device configured to: (1) mount within a vehicle dashboardcradle so that the mobile computing device is positioned to take imagesforward of a vehicle; (2) collect telematics data of the vehicle whenthe vehicle is moving, the telematics data including at least one ofGlobal Positioning System (GPS) location, speed, heading, lane, braking,cornering, acceleration, or route data of the vehicle; (3) generate atleast one of (i) an alert based upon the telematics data and the images,or (ii) broadcasting data including the images and the telematics data;and/or (4) broadcast the at least one of the alert or the broadcastingdata to at least one of (i) at least one nearby vehicle or (ii) at leastone smart infrastructure component via wireless communication or datatransmission to facilitate warning at least one of drivers or smartvehicles of at least one of hazardous conditions or vehicle accidentsupon the at least one of the at least one nearby vehicle or the at leastone smart infrastructure component receiving and processing the at leastone of the alert or the broadcasting data. The system may includeadditional or alternate components, including those discussed elsewhereherein. The mobile computing device may be configured to performadditional, fewer, or alternate actions, including those discussedelsewhere herein.

In another aspect, a mobile computing device for facilitating safervehicle travel may be provided. A mobile computing device may include:(a) a controller configured to: (1) determine whether the mobilecomputing device is mounted in a vehicle; (2) collect, when it isdetermined that the mobile computing device is mounted in the vehicle,telematics data associated with the vehicle, and digital data includingat least one of digital image, digital audio, or digital video dataassociated with at least one of an interior or exterior of the vehicle;(3) analyze the telematics data and digital data collected to determinewhether a hazard is associated with a road on which the vehicle is beingdriven; and/or (4) generate an alert when the hazard is detected fromthe analysis of the telematics data and the digital data; and/or (b) adisplay configured to issue the alert to notify a driver of the vehicleof the hazard when the hazard is detected to facilitate safer vehicletravel and vehicle collision avoidance. The mobile computing device mayinclude additional, fewer, or alternate components, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein. The controller may be configured to performadditional, fewer, or alternate actions, including those discussedelsewhere herein. The display may be configured to perform additional,fewer, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

In yet another aspect, a computer-implemented method of broadcastinginformation related to hazards impacting vehicle travel may be provided.A method may include: (1) collecting images forward of a vehicle, via atleast one of a mobile device camera or one or more mobile deviceprocessors of a mobile device that is mounted within a vehicle dashboardcradle and positioned to take the images forward of the vehicle; (2)collecting, via at least one of the one or more mobile device processorsor a telematics app, telematics data, including at least one of GlobalPositioning System (GPS) location, speed, heading, lane, braking,cornering, acceleration, or route data of the vehicle while the vehicleis moving; (3) generating, via the one or more mobile device processors,at least one of (i) an alert based upon the images forward of thevehicle and the telematics data or (ii) a broadcast including the imagesforward of the vehicle and the telematics data; and/or (4) broadcasting,via at least one of the one or more mobile device processors, acommunication unit, or a transceiver, the at least one of the alert orthe broadcast via wireless communication or data transmission to atleast one of (i) at least one nearby vehicle or (ii) at least one smartinfrastructure component to facilitate alerting at least one of othervehicles or drivers of at least one of hazardous conditions or vehicleaccidents. The method may include additional, fewer, or alternateactions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

Advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe following description of the preferred embodiments which have beenshown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, thepresent embodiments may be capable of other and different embodiments,and their details are capable of modification in various respects.Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded asillustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The Figures described below depict various aspects of the system andmethods disclosed therein. It should be understood that each Figuredepicts an embodiment of a particular aspect of the disclosed system andmethods, and that each of the Figures is intended to accord with apossible embodiment thereof. Further, wherever possible, the followingdescription refers to the reference numerals included in the followingFigures, in which features depicted in multiple Figures are designatedwith consistent reference numerals.

There are shown in the drawings arrangements which are presentlydiscussed, it being understood, however, that the present embodimentsare not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown,wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary telematics collectionsystem 100 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary alert notificationsystem 200 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing device 300in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary mobile computing device home screen 400in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary mobile computing device applicationscreen 450 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary smart vehicle controlsystem 500 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computer-implemented method 600 offacilitating safer vehicle travel in accordance with an exemplary aspectof the present disclosure.

The Figures depict preferred embodiments for purposes of illustrationonly. Alternative embodiments of the systems and methods illustratedherein may be employed without departing from the principles of theinvention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present embodiments relate to, inter alia, determining whether ananomalous condition (e.g., a hazard such as a vehicle accident, apedestrian, an animal, etc.) is detected at a location associated with avehicle (e.g., whether the anomalous condition is associated with a roadon which the vehicle is being driven) using one or more computingdevices within or otherwise associated with the vehicle. If the detectedanomalous condition may impact or affect another vehicle on the road,embodiments are described to generate and/or send alert notifications toother vehicles that may be so affected. In some aspects, the vehicleand/or the other vehicles may be an autonomous vehicle(s). As furtherdescribed throughout the disclosure, the process of detecting anomalousconditions and whether they apply to other vehicles may be performedthrough an analysis of geographic location data, telematics data, and/orimage, audio, and/or video data broadcasted from one or more computingdevices within or otherwise associated with one or more respectivevehicles.

The present embodiments may relate to collecting, transmitting, and/orreceiving telematics data; and may include a mobile device, avehicle-mounted processor, computer server, web pages, applications,software modules, user interfaces, interactive display screens, memoryunits, and/or other electronic, electrical, and/or wirelesscommunication equipment configured to provide the functionalitydiscussed herein. As compared with the prior art, the presentembodiments include specifically configured computing equipment thatprovide for an enhanced method of collecting telematics and/or othervehicle/driving conditions related data, and performing certain actionsbased upon the data collected. Using the telematics and/or other datacollected, in conjunction with the novel techniques discussed herein,recommendations and/or travel/driving guidance may be provided to remotevehicles and/or drivers.

The present embodiments may solve one or more technical problems relatedto (1) vehicle safety, and/or (2) vehicle navigation by using solutionsor improvements in another technological field, namely telematics.Vehicle safety and vehicle navigation is often impacted by short-termtraffic events that occur with little or no warning. For instance,vehicle accidents may be caused by road construction, other vehicleaccidents, traffic being temporarily re-routed, unexpected bad weather,other drivers or vehicles, a pedestrian on or near a road, an animal onor near a road, etc.

To address these and other problems, telematics data (and/or driverbehavior or vehicle information) may be captured in real-time, or nearreal-time, by a mobile device of a vehicle driver (or passenger) and/ora smart vehicle control system, for example. The mobile device and/orother device(s) as described herein may be specifically configured forgathering, collecting, and/or generating telematics and/or other data asa vehicle is traveling.

For instance, the mobile device may be equipped with (i) varioussensors, meters, and/or other suitable devices capable of generatingtelematics data (Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, speed sensor,speedometer, odometer, gyroscope, compass, accelerometer, camera,microphone, etc.) and/or (ii) an application, such as a Telematics DataApplication or Telematics “App,” that includes computer instructionsand/or software modules stored in a non-transitory memory unit thatcontrol collecting and generating telematics and/or other data. Themobile device and/or the application (or Telematics App) may provide asoftware module, user interface, and/or interactive display screenconfigured to facilitate the data collection. The mobile device and/orTelematics App executing thereon may be configured to prepare orotherwise format the telematics and/or other data collected or generatedfor transmission (via wireless communication and/or data transmission)to a mobile device of a second driver, a remote server, another (smart)vehicle, and/or smart infrastructure —all of which may be equipped withits own Telematics App or other telematics related applications. TheTelematics App may include other functionality, including the mobiledevice functionality discussed elsewhere herein.

Alternatively, the mobile device may remotely access a web page, such asvia wireless communication with a remote server. The web page mayprovide the mobile device with the functionality to collect thetelematics and/or other data as the vehicle is moving. Additionally oralternatively, the web page may allow the mobile device to upload ortransmit data in real-time, or near real-time, to a mobile device of asecond driver, a remote server, smart infrastructure, and/or another(e.g., smart) vehicle.

Additionally or alternatively, a smart vehicle controller or processormay be configured with the same functionality as that of the mobiledevice described above. For instance, a smart vehicle controller mayinclude an application, software module, or computer instructions thatprovide for the telematics and/or other data collection and generationfunctionality discussed herein. The smart vehicle controller may be inwired or wireless communication with various (“smart” or “dumb”)vehicle-mounted meters, sensors, and/or detectors, such as speedometers,speed sensors, compasses, gyros, accelerometers, cameras, microphones,etc. that collect and/or generate telematics data and/or other datadetailing or associated with vehicle operation, and/or driving or driverbehavior.

In one aspect, by solving problems with collecting telematics dataand/or other data associated with driver behavior and/or vehicleoperation or performance, problems with vehicle navigation and/orvehicle operation may be resolved. For instance, telematics dataassociated with a first vehicle may be collected in real-time by amobile device of a first driver. The mobile device may be specificallyconfigured to gather or generate telematics and/or other driver/vehicledata in real-time as the vehicle is traveling, such as via a TelematicsApp running on the mobile device. If a traffic event is encountered,about to be encountered, and/or expected or anticipated to beencountered by the vehicle as it travels (e.g., road construction; heavytraffic; congestion; bad weather conditions; unlawful, unexpected orerratic operation of other vehicles; questionable or abnormal drivingbehavior of other drivers; irresponsible or overly aggressive drivers;un-attentive or tired drivers; a pedestrian; an animal, etc.), thetelematics data (and/or other data) collected may indicate such.

The mobile device itself (and/or Telematics App) may be configured toidentify the type of traffic event and transmit the type of trafficevent to other mobile devices, a remote server, smart vehicles, and/orsmart infrastructure. In one embodiment, the mobile device (and/orTelematics App) may be in wireless communication with a smart vehiclecontrol system of the vehicle, and the smart vehicle control system maytransmit the telematics and/or other data, and/or any associatedwarnings, to a remote server, and/or roadside smart infrastructure ornearby mobile devices or vehicles of other drivers (such as to conservebattery power of the mobile device).

Alternatively, the mobile device (and/or Telematics App) may transmitthe telematics and/or other data collected via wireless communicationand/or data transmission to a second computing device—such as a secondmobile device (of another driver), a second and smart vehicle, a remoteserver, and/or road side infrastructure (smart street signs or roadposts, smart toll booths, etc.). After which, the second and remotecomputing device may analyze the telematics and/or other data that iscollected in real-time, or near real-time, to determine traffic eventsin real-time, or near real-time, respectively. Based upon the type andextent of traffic event detected, the second computing device may issuewarnings, determine recommendations, and/or re-route vehicles. Forinstance, the second computing device may cause a display screen or userinterface of a mobile device or smart vehicle controller of remotedrivers to display a map with (1) a current route that the vehicle ison, (2) a virtual representation of the traffic event, and/or (3) analternate or recommended new route to an original destination thatavoids the traffic event.

In one embodiment, a telematics application or software module (e.g.,the Telematics App as discussed herein) may be designed to communicatewith smart vehicles and smart infrastructure. An advantage of this isthat for a vehicle owner that does not have a “smart” vehicle withwireless communication technology, the application and/or softwaremodule deployed on a smart phone or other mobile device may communicatewith smart vehicles and infrastructure (and/or remote servers and othermobile devices). The telematics application and/or software module maybe programmed to provide voice alerts: such as on a two lane road “donot pass-a vehicle is approaching” or “high speed vehicle is approachingto your left (or right);” “traffic light will turn in 10 seconds;” “turnleft to find an open parking space;” “traffic is stopped 1.5 milesahead;” “traffic has slowed to 20 mph 1.5 miles (or 2 blocks) ahead;”“recommended speed for turn ahead is 30 mph;” “ice on bridge (or ramp)ahead;” “vehicle accident 1 mile ahead, turn off road;” “pedestrian 1block ahead, stop now;” “animal ahead, slow down (or stop) now,” etc.

As an example, a first mobile device may be traveling in a vehicle. Thefirst mobile device may collect telematics data and/or other data, suchas via a telematics application running on one or more processorsmounted within the first mobile device and/or via suitable functionality(which may be included within the telematics application, in someaspects) for collecting image, audio, and/or video data via, forexample, a camera(s) and/or a microphone(s). The first mobile device(and/or the telematics application) may detect a travel event (e.g.,hazard) from the data collected. For instance, the first mobile device(and/or the telematics application executing thereon) may determine thatthe vehicle is driving on a road which has a vehicle accident ahead ofthe current location of the vehicle, that a pedestrian or animal isahead of the vehicle, etc. The first mobile device (and/or thetelematics application) may then transmit the data collected and/or anassociated message via wireless communication or data transmission tosmart roadside infrastructure and/or nearby vehicles (or a second mobiledevice traveling within a nearby and second vehicle).

The second mobile device (and/or a telematics application runningthereon) may then, using the data received and/or message received fromthe first mobile device, generate an audible or visual warning or alertof the travel event, such as “Warning, congestion ahead,” “Warning,vehicle accident ahead,” “Warning, pedestrian on road 1 block ahead,”“Warning, animal on road 0.1 miles ahead,” and/or “Recommend taking Exit10 and traveling on Highway 12 for 5 miles until Exit 11 to avoid thecongestion ahead.” The second mobile device (and/or associatedtelematics application) may also be able to compare locations of thetravel event with the current location of the second vehicle todetermine if the travel event poses a potential obstacle to the secondvehicle reaching its destination without interruption. Thus, thetelematics data collected using a first mobile device (and/or atelematics application) and associated with a first driver may be usedto alert a second driver (associated with the second mobile device) of atravel event and/or re-route the second vehicle to facilitate safervehicle travel for the second driver and vehicle.

In one aspect, a mobile device (and/or the telematics application) maycompare a vehicle's traveling speed with a known posted speed limit. Ifthe vehicle's speed is below or above the posted speed by a certainthreshold, for example, 10 or 20 miles-per-hour, then the mobile devicemay generate a warning and transmit the warning to roadsideinfrastructure and/or nearby mobile devices or vehicles. For example,the message may state “Slow moving vehicle in right hand lane ahead;”“High speed vehicle approaching from rear;” And/or “High speed vehicleapproaching from ahead.”

Other messages or alerts that may be generated from mobile devices(and/or telematics applications executing thereon), smart vehiclecontrollers, remote servers, and/or smart infrastructure and transmittedto a mobile device of a driver (and/or smart vehicle) may include“Construction 1 mile ahead;” “Rain (or Snow) 5 miles ahead;” “Detour 2blocks ahead;” “Traffic light directly ahead will change from Green toRed starting in 5 seconds;” “Stranded vehicle on right side of road halfa mile ahead;” “Recommend turning right at next intersection to avoidtravel event 3 blocks ahead;” “Animal 2 blocks ahead;” “Pedestrian 1block ahead;” and/or other travel or traffic event-related messages.

An insurance provider may collect data indicative of an insured's havingof and/or usage of the vehicle safety functionality provided herein(e.g., functionality associated with analyzing mobile computing deviceimage data and vehicle telematics data to generate alerts to facilitatewarning at least one of drivers or smart vehicles of at least one ofhazardous conditions or vehicle accidents, as further discussed below).For instance, such data may be collected at an insurance provider remoteserver and/or via a mobile device application. Based upon anindividual's usage and/or taking travel recommendations, such as travelrecommendations that reduce or lower risk and/or enhance driver orvehicle safety, insurance policies (such as vehicle or life insurancepolicies) may be adjusted, generated, and/or updated. The insuranceprovider remote server may calculate, update, and/or adjust insurancepremiums, rates, discounts, points, programs, etc., such as adjusting aninsurance discount or premium based upon the insured having thefunctionality discussed herein and/or the amount that the insured usesthe functionality discussed herein. The updated insurance policies(and/or premiums, rates, discounts, etc.) may be communicated toinsurance customers for their review, modification, and/or approval—suchas via wireless communication or data transmission from a remote serverto a mobile device of the insured (e.g., for display on a mobile deviceof the insured).

Telematics and Vehicle Navigation

In one aspect, by solving problems with collecting telematics dataand/or other data associated with driver behavior and/or vehicleoperation or performance, problems with vehicle navigation and/orvehicle operation may be resolved. For instance, telematics dataassociated with a first vehicle may be collected in real-time by amobile device of a first driver. The mobile device may be specificallyconfigured to gather or generate telematics and/or other driver/vehicledata in real-time as the vehicle is traveling. If a traffic event isencountered, about to be encountered, and/or expected or anticipated tobe encountered by the vehicle as it travels (e.g., road construction;heavy traffic; congestion; bad weather conditions; unlawful, unexpectedor erratic operation of other vehicles; questionable or abnormal drivingbehavior of other drivers; irresponsible or overly aggressive drivers;un-attentive or tired drivers; a pedestrian; an animal, etc.), thetelematics data (and/or other data) collected may indicate such.

The mobile device itself may be configured to identify the type oftraffic event and transmit the type of traffic event to other mobiledevices, a remote server, smart vehicles, and/or smart infrastructure.In one embodiment, the mobile device may be in wireless communicationwith a smart vehicle control system of the vehicle, and the smartvehicle control system may transmit the telematics and/or other data,and/or any associated warnings, to a remote server, and/or roadsidesmart infrastructure or nearby mobile devices or vehicles of otherdrivers (such as to conserve battery power of the mobile device).

Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device may transmit thetelematics and/or other data collected via wireless communication and/ordata transmission to a second computing device—such as a second mobiledevice (of another driver), a second and smart vehicle, a remote server,and/or road side infrastructure (smart street signs or road posts, smarttoll booths, etc.). After which, the second and remote computing devicemay analyze the telematics and/or other data that is collected inreal-time, or near real-time, to determine traffic events in real-time,or near real-time, respectively. Based upon the type and extent oftraffic event detected, the second computing device may issue warnings,determine recommendations, and/or re-route vehicles. For instance, thesecond computing device may cause a display screen or user interface ofa mobile device or smart vehicle controller of remote drivers to displaya map with (1) a current route that the vehicle is on, (2) a virtualrepresentation of the traffic event, and/or (3) an alternate orrecommended new route to an original destination that avoids the trafficevent.

Exemplary Telematics Collection System

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary telematics collectionsystem 100 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure. In some aspects, telematics collection system 100 mayinclude hardware and software applications configured to measure,calculate, generate, and/or collect geographic location data and/ortelematics data indicative of the speed, direction, and/or motion ofvehicle 108. Additionally or alternatively, telematics collection system100 may include hardware and software applications configured to receiveand process geographic location data and/or telematics data sent fromanother telematics collection system, to determine whether an anomalouscondition has been detected, whether to generate an alert, and/orwhether to send an alert notification. Telematics collection system 100may include various data communication channels for facilitating datacommunications between the various hardware and software componentsand/or communications with one or more external components.

To accomplish this, telematics collection system 100 may include anysuitable number of computing devices, such as mobile computing device110 and/or on-board computing device 114, for example. These computingdevices may be disposed within vehicle 108, permanently installed invehicle 108, or removably installed in vehicle 108.

In the present aspects, mobile computing device 110 may be implementedas any suitable computing or mobile device, such as a mobile device(e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop, wearable electronics, phablet, pager,personal digital assistant (PDA), smart glasses, smart watch orbracelet, etc.), while on-board computer 114 may be implemented as ageneral-use on-board computer or processor(s) installed by themanufacturer of vehicle 108 or as an aftermarket modification to vehicle108, for example. In various aspects, mobile computing device 110 and/oron-board computer 114 may be a thin-client device configured tooutsource any suitable portion of processing via communications with oneor more external components.

On-board computer 114 may supplement one or more functions performed bymobile computing device 110 described herein by, for example, sendinginformation to and/or receiving information from mobile computing device110. Mobile computing device 110 and/or on-board computer 114 maycommunicate with one or more external components via links 112 and 118,respectively. Additionally, mobile computing device 110 and on-boardcomputer 114 may communicate with one another directly via link 116.

In one aspect, mobile computing device 110 may be configured withsuitable hardware and/or software (e.g., one or more applications,programs, files, etc.) to determine a geographic location of mobilecomputing device 110 and, hence, vehicle 108, in which it is positioned.Additionally or alternatively, mobile computing device 110 may beconfigured with suitable hardware and/or software to monitor, measure,generate, and/or collect one or more sensor metrics as part of thetelematics data. Mobile computing device 110 may be configured tobroadcast the geographic location data and/or the one or more sensormetrics, and/or other data as described herein, to one or more externalcomponents.

In some aspects, the external components may include another mobilecomputing device substantially similar to or identical to mobilecomputing device 110. In accordance with such aspects, mobile computingdevice 110 may additionally or alternatively be configured to receivegeographic location data, sensor metrics, and/or other data broadcastedfrom another mobile computing device, the details of which are furtherdiscussed below. Mobile computing device 110 may be configured todetermine, upon receiving the geographic location data, sensor metrics,and/or other data, whether an anomalous condition (e.g., a hazard, asdiscussed more fully herein) exists at the geographic location indicatedby the geographic location data. If so, mobile computing device 110 maybe configured to generate one or more audio and/or video alertsindicative of the determined anomalous condition.

On-board computer 114 may be configured to perform one or more functionsotherwise performed by mobile computing device 110. However, on-boardcomputer 114 may additionally be configured to obtain geographiclocation data, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data,for example, by communicating with one or more vehicle sensors and/orother suitable devices (e.g., camera, microphone, etc.) that areintegrated into vehicle 108. For example, on-board computer 114 mayobtain geographic location data via communication with avehicle-integrated global navigation satellite system (GNSS). To provideadditional examples, on-board computer 114 may obtain one or moremetrics related to the speed, direction, motion, and/or surroundings ofvehicle 108 via any number of suitable sensors and/or other devices,such as speedometer sensors, braking sensors, airbag deployment sensors,crash detection sensors, cameras, microphones, etc.

In one aspect, mobile computing device 110 and/or on-board computer 114may operate independently of one another to generate geographic locationdata, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data; toreceive geographic location data, telematics data, and/or image, audio,and/or video data broadcasted from another telematics collection system;to determine whether to generate one or more alerts; and/or to generateone or more alert notifications. In accordance with such aspects,telematics collection system 100 may include mobile computing device 110but not on-board computer 114, and vice-versa.

In other aspects, mobile computing device 110 and/or on-board computer114 may operate in conjunction with one another to generate geographiclocation data, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data;to receive geographic location data, telematics data, and/or image,audio, and/or video data broadcasted from another telematics collectionsystem; to determine whether to generate one or more alerts; and/or togenerate one or more alert notifications. In accordance with suchaspects, telematics collection system 100 may include both mobilecomputing device 110 and on-board computer 114. Mobile computing device110 and on-board computer 114 may share any suitable portion ofprocessing between one another to facilitate the functionality describedherein.

Upon receiving notification alerts from another telematics collectionsystem, aspects include telematics collection system 100 generatingalerts via any suitable audio, video, and/or tactile techniques. Forexample, alerts may be generated via a display implemented by mobilecomputing device 110 and/or on-board computer 114. To provide anotherexample, a tactile alert system 120 (e.g., a seat that can vibrate) maybe configured to generate tactile alerts to a vehicle operator 106 whencommanded by mobile computing device 110 and/or on-board computer 114.To provide another example, audible alerts may be generated via aspeaker 122, which may be part of vehicle 108's integrated speakersystem, for example.

Although telematics collection system 100 is shown in FIG. 1 asincluding one mobile computing device 110 and one on-board computer 114,various aspects include telematics collection system 100 implementingany suitable number of mobile computing devices 110 and/or on-boardcomputers 114.

Exemplary Telematics Alert Notification System

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary alert notificationsystem 200 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure. In one aspect, alert notification system 200 may include anetwork 201, N number of vehicles 202.1-202.N and respective mobilecomputing devices 204.1-204.N, an external computing device 206, aninfrastructure component 208, a vehicle dashboard cradle 210 (shown, byway of example, in vehicle 202.1), a camera 212 of mobile computingdevice 204.1 within vehicle 202.1, a truck 214 and a collided vehicle216 that have been in a vehicle accident, an animal 218, and/or apedestrian 220. In one aspect, mobile computing devices 204 may be animplementation of mobile computing device 110, as shown in FIG. 1, whilevehicles 202 may be an implementation of vehicle 108, also shown inFIG. 1. Each of vehicles 202.1 and 202.2 may have an associated on-boardcomputer, which is not shown in FIG. 2 for purposes of brevity, but maybe an implementation of on-board computer 114, as shown in FIG. 1. Eachof vehicles 202.1 and 202.2 may be configured for wireless inter-vehiclecommunication and/or communication with one or more of mobile computingdevices 204.1-204.N, external computing device 206, and/orinfrastructure component 208. Aspects include each of vehicles 202.1 and202.2 being configured to perform communications in any suitable manner,such as via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) wireless communication and/or othersuitable data transmission.

Although alert notification system 200 is shown in FIG. 2 as includingone network 201, two mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2, twovehicles 202.1 and 202.2, one external computing device 206, oneinfrastructure component 208, one vehicle dashboard cradle 210, onecamera 212, one truck 214, one collided vehicle 216, one animal 218,and/or one pedestrian 220, various aspects include alert notificationsystem 200 implementing any suitable number of networks 201, mobilecomputing devices 204, vehicles 202, external computing devices 206,infrastructure components 208, vehicle dashboard cradles 210, cameras212, trucks 214, collided vehicles 216, animals 218, and/or pedestrians220. For example, alert notification system 200 may include a pluralityof external computing devices 206 and more than two mobile computingdevices 204, any suitable number of which being interconnected directlyto one another and/or via network 201.

In one aspect, each of mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2 may beconfigured to communicate with one another and/or any suitable devicedirectly via peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless communication and/or datatransfer. In other aspects, each of mobile computing devices 204.1 and204.2 may be configured to communicate indirectly with one anotherand/or any suitable device via communications over network 201, such asexternal computing device 206 and/or infrastructure component 208, forexample. In still other aspects, each of mobile computing devices 204.1and 204.2 may be configured to communicate directly and indirectly withone another and/or any suitable device, which may be via concurrentcommunications or communications occurring at separate times.

Each of mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2 may be configured tosend data to and/or receive data from one another and/or via network 201using one or more suitable communication protocols, which may be thesame communication protocols or different communication protocols as oneanother. To provide an example, mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2may be configured to communicate with one another via a direct radiolink 203 a, which may utilize, for example, a Wi-Fi direct protocol, anad-hoc cellular communication protocol, etc. Furthermore, mobilecomputing devices 204.1 and 204.2 may be configured to communicate withthe vehicle on-board computers located in vehicles 202.1 and 202.2,respectively, utilizing a BLUETOOTH communication protocol (radio linknot shown).

To provide additional examples, mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2may be configured to communicate with one another via radio links 203 band 203 c by each communicating with network 201 utilizing a cellularcommunication protocol. As an additional example, mobile computingdevices 204.1 and/or 204.2 may be configured to communicate withexternal computing device 206 via radio links 203 b, 203 c, and/or 203e. Still further, one or more of mobile computing devices 204.1 and/or204.2 may also be configured to communicate with one or more smartinfrastructure components 208 directly (e.g., via radio link 203 dand/or radio link 203 g) and/or indirectly (e.g., via radio links 203 cand 203 f via network 201) using any suitable communication protocols.

Mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2 may be configured to executeone or more algorithms, programs, applications, etc.; to determine ageographic location of each respective mobile computing device (and thustheir associated vehicle); to generate, measure, monitor, and/or collectone or more sensor metrics as telematics data; to collect image, audio,and/or video data associated with an interior and/or an exterior oftheir associated vehicle; to broadcast the geographic data, thetelematics data, and/or the image, audio, and/or video data via theirrespective radio links; to receive the geographic data, the telematicsdata, and/or the image, audio, and/or video data via their respectiveradio links; to determine whether an alert should be generated basedupon the telematics data, the geographic location data, and/or theimage, audio, and/or video data; to generate the one or more alerts;and/or to broadcast one or more alert notifications.

Network 201 may be implemented as any suitable network configured tofacilitate communications between mobile computing devices 204.1 and/or204.2 and one or more of external computing device 206 and/or smartinfrastructure component 208. For example, network 201 may include oneor more telecommunication networks, nodes, and/or links used tofacilitate data exchanges between one or more devices, and mayfacilitate a connection to the Internet for devices configured tocommunicate with network 201. Network 201 may include any suitablenumber of interconnected network components that form an aggregatenetwork system, such as dedicated access lines, plain ordinary telephonelines, satellite links, cellular base stations, a public switchedtelephone network (PSTN), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.Network 201 may include, for example, a proprietary network, a secureelectronic communication network, a secure public internet, amobile-based network, a virtual private network, etc.

In aspects in which network 201 facilitates a connection to theInternet, data communications may take place over the network 201 viaone or more suitable Internet communication protocols. For example,network 201 may be implemented as a wireless telephony network (e.g.,GSM, CDMA, LTE, etc.), a Wi-Fi network (e.g., via one or more IEEE802.11 Standards), a WiMAX network, a Bluetooth network, etc. Thus,links 203 a-203 g may represent wired links, wireless links, or anysuitable combination thereof.

In aspects in which mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2 communicatedirectly with one another in a peer-to-peer fashion, network 201 may bebypassed and thus communications between mobile computing devices 204.1and 204.2 and external computing device 206 may be unnecessary. Forexample, in some aspects, mobile computing device 204.1 may broadcastgeographic location data, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/orvideo data directly to mobile computing device 204.2. In this case,mobile computing device 204.2 may operate independently of network 201to determine whether an alert should be generated at mobile computingdevice 204.2 based upon the geographic location data, the telematicsdata, and/or the image, audio, and/or video data. In accordance withsuch aspects, network 201 and external computing device 206 may beomitted.

However, in other aspects, one or more of mobile computing devices 204.1and/or 204.2 may work in conjunction with external computing device 206to generate alerts. For example, in some aspects, mobile computingdevice 204.1 may broadcast geographic location data, telematics data,and/or image, audio, and/or video data which is received by externalcomputing device 206. In this case, external computing device 206 may beconfigured to determine whether an alert should be sent to mobilecomputing device 204.2 based upon the geographic location data, thetelematics data, and/or the image, audio, and/or video data.

To provide an example, mobile computing device 204.1 may broadcasttelematics data and image data, which is received by mobile computingdevice 204.2 and/or vehicle 202.2. Upon receipt of the telematics dataand image data, mobile computing device 204.2 and/or vehicle 202.2 maydetermine that an abnormal traffic condition (e.g., a vehicle accident)exists at or in a vicinity of (e.g., within a threshold and/orpredetermined distance of) the location of the originating vehicle(e.g., the location of mobile computing device 204.1 and vehicle 202.1)and/or whether this location or the vicinity of this location is along aroute travelled by vehicle 202.2 or is otherwise relevant to vehicle202.2.

Once this is determined, mobile computing device 204.2 and/or vehicle202.2 may automatically take a preventive or corrective action, whichmay include, for example, mobile computing device 204.2 and/or vehicle202.2 generating or determining an alert, issuing a visual alert,providing an audio or audible alert, identifying an alternate travelroute that avoids the location of the abnormal traffic condition,presenting an alternative travel route on a display or display screenfor use by a driver of vehicle 202.2, providing audio driving directionsfor the driver of vehicle 202.2 to travel along the alternate route,etc.

External computing device 206 may be configured to execute varioussoftware applications, algorithms, and/or other suitable programs.External computing device 206 may be implemented as any suitable type ofdevice to facilitate the functionality as described herein. For example,external computing device 206 may be implemented as a network server, aweb-server, a database server, one or more databases and/or storagedevices, a central monitoring system and/or dispatching center computerused by emergency response personnel, a railway monitoring system, orany suitable combination thereof. Although illustrated as a singledevice in FIG. 2, one or more portions of external computing device 206may be implemented as one or more storage devices that are physicallyco-located with external computing device 206, or as one or more storagedevices utilizing different storage locations as a shared databasestructure (e.g. cloud storage).

In some embodiments, external computing device 206 may be configured toperform any suitable portion of the processing functions remotely thathave been outsourced by one or more of mobile computing devices 204.1and/or 204.2. For example, mobile computing device 204.1 and/or 204.2may collect data (e.g., geographic location data, telematics data,and/or image, audio, and/or video data) as described herein, but maysend the data to external computing device 206 for remote processinginstead of processing the data locally. In such embodiments, externalcomputing device 206 may receive and process the data to determinewhether an anomalous condition exists and, if so, whether to send analert notification to, for example, one or more of mobile computingdevices 204.1 and/or 204.2.

In one aspect, external computing device 206 may additionally oralternatively be part of an insurer computing system (or facilitatecommunications with an insurer computer system), and as such may accessinsurer databases, execute algorithms, execute applications, accessremote servers, communicate with remote processors, etc., as needed toperform insurance-related functions. For example, external computingdevice 206 may facilitate the receipt of telematics data and/or otherdata from one or more mobile computing devices 204.1-204.N, which may beassociated with insurance customers and/or running a Telematics App, asfurther discussed below with reference to FIG. 3.

In aspects in which external computing device 206 facilitatescommunications with an insurer computing system (or is part of such asystem), data received from one or more mobile computing devices204.1-204.N may include logon credentials which may be verified byexternal computing device 206 or one or more other external computingdevices, servers, etc. These logon credentials may be associated with aninsurer profile, which may include, for example, insurance policynumbers, a description and/or listing of insured assets, vehicleidentification numbers of insured vehicles, addresses of insuredstructures, contact information, premium rates, discounts, etc.

In this way, data received from one or more mobile computing devices204.1-204.N may allow external computing device 206 to uniquely identifyeach insured customer and/or whether each identified insurance customerhas installed the Telematics App. Furthermore, any data collected fromone or more mobile computing devices 204.1-204.N may be referenced toeach insurance customer and/or any insurance policies associated witheach insurance customer for various insurance-related purposes.

For example, as further discussed below with reference to FIG. 3, theone or more mobile computing devices 204.1-204.N may broadcast, inaddition to or as part of the telematics data, data indicative ofwhether a Telematics App has been installed and/or usage data indicativeof how often a driver uses the Telematics App functionality whiledriving. Of course, similar or identical data may be received from avehicle as opposed to the mobile computing device located in thevehicle. That is, the same functions discussed below with reference toFIG. 3 regarding the Telematics App installed and executed on a mobilecomputing device may also (or alternatively) be installed and executedas part of a vehicle's integrated computer functions, as previouslydiscussed with reference to FIG. 1 above.

In various aspects, an insurer may leverage data regarding whether aninsured customer has installed a Telematics App or how often theTelematics App is used while driving to calculate, adjust, and/or updatevarious insurance pricing for an automotive insurance policy or othersuitable insurance policy. For example, as noted above, an insurer mayadjust insurance premiums, rates, discounts, points, programs, etc.,based upon the insured having the functionality discussed herein and/orthe amount that the insured uses the functionality discussed herein.

In addition, external computing device 206 may facilitate thecommunication of the updated insurance policies, premiums, rates,discounts, etc., to insurance customers for their review, modification,and/or approval—such as via wireless communication or data transmissionto one or more mobile computing devices 204.1-204.N. For example, aninsurer may provide an initial discount for an insured customerinstalling the Telematics App and logging in with the Telematics App. Tocontinue this example, because the alert notifications provided by theTelematics App may reduce the likelihood of a collision or other damageoccurring to the vehicle or the driver, use of the Telematics App mayfunction to mitigate or prevent driving risks upon which an insurancepolicy is partially based. Therefore, an insurer may provide anadditional discount that increases with the insured customer's usage ofthe Telematics App while driving.

In some aspects, external computing device 206 may facilitate indirectcommunications between one or more of mobile computing devices204.1-204.2, vehicles 202.1-202.N, and/or infrastructure component 208via network 201 or another suitable communication network and/orwireless link. For example, external computing device 206 may receivetelematics data and/or image data from an originating mobile computingdevice 204.1 via radio link 203 b and relay the telematics data and/orimage data to a destination mobile computing device 204.2 and/or tovehicle 202.2 via radio link 203 c.

With respect to FIG. 2, infrastructure component 208 may be implementedas any suitable type of traffic infrastructure component configured toreceive communications from and/or to send communications to otherdevices, such as mobile computing devices 204.1 and/or 204.2, and/orexternal computing device 206, for example.

In some aspects, as noted herein, infrastructure component 208 may beimplemented as one or more “smart” infrastructure components, which maybe configured to communicate with one or more other devices directlyand/or indirectly.

For example, smart infrastructure component 208 may be configured tocommunicate with one or more devices directly and/or indirectly. Forexample, smart infrastructure component 208 may be configured tocommunicate directly with mobile computing device 204.2 via link 203 dand/or with mobile computing device 204.1 via links 203 b and 203 futilizing network 201. To provide another example, smart infrastructurecomponent 208 may communicate with external computing device 206 vialinks 203 e and 203 f utilizing network 201.

Smart infrastructure component 208 may be implemented as any suitabletype of traffic infrastructure component configured to receivecommunications from and/or to send communications to other devices, suchas mobile computing devices 204.1 and 204.2, and/or external computingdevice 206, for example. For example, smart infrastructure component 208may be implemented as a traffic light, a railroad crossing light, aconstruction notification sign, a roadside display configured to displaymessages, a billboard display, etc. As shown in the example of FIG. 2,infrastructure component 208 may be implemented as a roadside displaydisplaying, for example, a warning message indicating “ACCIDENT 1 MILEAHEAD” as a result of implementation of the functionality discussedherein. Such an accident may be, for instance, an accident between truck214 and collided vehicle 216.

In another aspect, a roadside display may additionally or alternativelywarn of, for example, an animal (e.g., animal 218, such as a deer orother animal that may create a driving hazard) and/or a pedestrian(e.g., pedestrian 220) at or in a vicinity of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle202.1). As further discussed below, a mobile computing device mounted ina vehicle dashboard cradle may determine or detect such a hazard at orin a vicinity of a vehicle that includes the vehicle dashboard cradlemounted on and/or affixed to a dashboard of the vehicle. For instance,mobile computing device 204.1 mounted in vehicle dashboard cradle 210 ofvehicle 202.1 may detect such a hazard using camera 212, as furtherdiscussed below.

Similar to external computing device 206, one or more smartinfrastructure components 208 may facilitate indirect communicationsbetween one or more of mobile computing devices 204.1-204.2, vehicles202.1-202.N, and/or external computing device 206 via network 201 oranother suitable communication network and/or wireless link. Forexample, one or more smart infrastructure components 208 may receivetelematics data and/or image data from an originating mobile computingdevice 204.2 via radio link 203 d and relay the telematics data and/orimage data to a destination mobile computing device 204.1 and/or tovehicle 202.1 via radio links 203 b and 203 f or via radio link 203 g,for example.

In some aspects, smart infrastructure component 208 may be configured toreceive geographic location data, telematics data, and/or image, audio,and/or video data from one or more other devices and to process thisdata to determine whether an anomalous condition (e.g., hazard) has beendetected and whether the detected anomalous condition satisfies athreshold distance condition with respect to smart infrastructurecomponent 208. The threshold distance condition may include, forexample, the geographic location of the anomalous condition being withina threshold radius of smart infrastructure component 208, on orassociated with the same road serviced by smart infrastructure component208, etc. If so, smart infrastructure component 208 may perform one ormore relevant actions such as displaying one or more relevant messagesto notify drivers in the vicinity (e.g., drivers within a thresholdand/or predetermined distance of smart infrastructure component 208, asdiscussed above with respect to a vicinity), to modify traffic patterns,to change traffic light timing, to redirect traffic, etc.

In other aspects, smart infrastructure component 208 may receive dataindicating that an alert is to be generated and/or the type of alertthat is to be generated. In accordance with such aspects, one or more ofmobile computing devices 204.1, 204.2 and/or external computing device206, for example, may make the determination of whether an anomalouscondition exists and is within a threshold distance of smartinfrastructure component 208. If so, the data received by smartinfrastructure component 208 may be indicative of the type of anomalouscondition, the location of the anomalous condition, commands to causesmart infrastructure component 208 to perform one or more acts, the typeof acts to perform, etc.

To provide some illustrative examples, a mobile computing device (e.g.,mobile computing device 204.1) may broadcast an alert indicating that ahazard, such as a vehicle accident, has been detected by mobilecomputing device 204.1. The alert may be received by one or more ofmobile computing device 204.2 or smart infrastructure component 208, forexample, and may result in mobile computing device 204.2 or smartinfrastructure component 208 generating one or more alert notificationsand/or smart infrastructure component 208 changing to a different state.

To provide another example, if smart infrastructure component 208 isimplemented as a smart traffic light, smart infrastructure component 208may change a traffic light from green to red (or vice-versa) or adjust atiming cycle to favor traffic in one direction over another. To provideyet another example, if smart infrastructure component 208 isimplemented as a traffic sign display/roadside display, smartinfrastructure component 208 may display a warning message that theanomalous condition (e.g., a traffic accident) has been detected aheadand/or on a specific road corresponding to the geographic location data.

In additional aspects, other vehicles may play a role in the one or morealert notifications. To provide an illustrative example, an emergencyvehicle (e.g., an ambulance, fire truck, etc.) may be dispatched to thescene of an accident. In such a case, the emergency vehicle may beconfigured to broadcast one or more signals that cause one or more ofmobile computing devices 204.1-204.2 to generate one or more alertnotifications and/or smart infrastructure component 208 to change to adifferent state. These signals may be broadcasted from a mobilecomputing device carried by emergency response personnel and triggeredupon the emergency vehicle approaching (e.g., within a thresholddistance) a geographic location associated the vehicle accident.Additionally or alternatively, the signals may be broadcasted by anysuitable device mounted in or otherwise associated with the emergencyresponse vehicle.

The signals transmitted from additional vehicles such as emergencyresponse vehicles (emergency response vehicles not being illustrated inFIG. 2 for purposes of brevity) may be transmitted in accordance withany suitable communication protocol directly and/or indirectly to one ormore or mobile computing devices 204.1-204.2 and/or smart infrastructurecomponent 208, for example. For example, the signals may be transmitteddirectly to smart infrastructure component 208, and indirectly to one ormore of mobile computing devices 204.1-204.2 via network 201 and/orexternal computing device 206, etc.

Exemplary End-User/Destination Devices

The following details regarding the determination of an anomalouscondition (e.g., a hazard such as congestion, a vehicle accident, apedestrian, an animal, etc.) are explained in this section withreference to computing device 300, which may be a mobile computingdevice or “mobile device” (e.g., smart phone, laptop, tablet, phablet,smart watch, wearable electronics, etc.). In the present aspect,computing device 300 may be implemented as any suitable computingdevice, such as a mobile computing device (e.g., mobile computing device110, as shown in FIG. 1). In another aspect, computing device 300 may beimplemented as an on-board vehicle computer (e.g., on-board vehiclecomputer 114, as shown in FIG. 1). In still other aspects, computingdevice 300 may be implemented as a device external to a vehicle (e.g.,external computing device 206 or smart infrastructure component 208, asshown in FIG. 2).

Depending upon the implementation of computing device 300, the methodsand processes utilized to determine the existence of anomalousconditions may be performed locally, remotely, or any suitablecombination of local and remote processing techniques.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing device ormobile device 300 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure. Computing device 300 may be implemented as any suitablecomputing device configured to (1) monitor, measure, generate, and/orcollect telematics data, geographic location data, and/or image, audio,and/or video data; (2) broadcast the geographic location data, thetelematics data, and/or the image, audio, and/or video data to one ormore external components, such as via wireless communication and/or datatransmission; (3) receive geographic location data, telematics data,and/or image, audio, and/or video data broadcasted from another device,such as via wireless communication and/or data transmission; (4)determine whether an anomalous condition exists at the geographiclocation indicated by the geographic location data based upon thetelematics data and/or the image, audio, and/or video data; (5) generateone or more alerts indicative of the anomalous condition; and/or (6)broadcast one or more alert notifications to other devices, such as viawireless communication and/or data transmission.

Computing device 300 may include a display 316, a graphics processingunit (GPU) 318, a location acquisition unit 320, a speaker/microphone322, a sensor array 326, a user interface 328, a communication unit 330,and/or a controller 340.

In one aspect, controller 340 may include a program memory 302, amicroprocessor (MP) 306, a random-access memory (RAM) 308, and/or aninput/output (I/O) interface 310, each of which may be interconnectedvia an address/data bus 312. Controller 340 may be implemented as anysuitable type and/or number of processors, such as a host processor forthe relevant device in which computing device 300 is implemented, forexample. In some aspects, controller 340 may be configured tocommunicate with additional data storage mechanisms that are not shownin FIG. 3 for purposes of brevity (e.g., one or more hard disk drives,optical storage drives, solid state storage devices, etc.) that residewithin or are otherwise associated with computing device 300.

Program memory 302 may store data used in conjunction with one or morefunctions performed by computing device 300 to facilitate theinteraction between computing device 300 and one or more other devices.For example, if computing device 300 is implemented as a mobilecomputing device (e.g., mobile computing device 204.1, as shown in FIG.2), then program memory 302 may store one or more programs,applications, algorithms, etc. that, when executed by controller 340,facilitate the interaction between mobile computing device 204.1 and (i)one or more networks (e.g., network 201), (ii) other mobile computingdevices (e.g., mobile computing device 204.2), (iii) external computingdevices (e.g., external computing device 206), (iv) vehicles (e.g.,vehicle 108), (v) vehicle on-board computers (e.g., on-board computer114), (vi) infrastructure components (e.g., smart infrastructurecomponent 208), etc.

In various aspects, program memory 302 may be implemented as anon-transitory tangible computer readable media configured to storecomputer-readable instructions, that when executed by controller 340,cause controller 340 to perform various acts. Program memory 302 mayinclude an operating system 342, one or more software applications 344,and one or more software routines 352. To provide another example,program memory 302 may include other portions to store data that may beread from and written to by MP 306, such as data storage 360, forexample.

In one aspect, one or more MPs (micro-processors) 306 may be configuredto execute one or more of software applications 344, software routines352 residing in program memory 302, and/or other suitable softwareapplications. For example, operating system 342 may be implemented asany suitable operating system platform depending upon the particularimplementation of computing device 300. For example, if computing device300 is implemented as a mobile computing device, operating system 342may be implemented as a mobile OS platform such as the iOS®, Android™,Palm® webOS, Windows® Mobile/Phone, BlackBerry® OS, or Symbian® OSmobile technology platforms, developed by Apple Inc., Google Inc., PalmInc. (now Hewlett-Packard Company), Microsoft Corporation, Research inMotion (RIM), and Nokia, respectively.

In one embodiment, data storage 360 may store data such as applicationdata for the one or more software applications 344, routine data for theone or more software routines 352, geographic location data, telematicsdata, and/or image, audio, and/or video data, etc.

Display 316 may be implemented as any suitable type of display and mayfacilitate user interaction with computing device 300 in conjunctionwith user interface 328. For example, display 316 may be implemented asa capacitive touch screen display, a resistive touch screen display,etc. In various embodiments, display 316 may be configured to work inconjunction with controller 340 and/or GPU 318 to display alerts and/ornotifications received from other devices indicative of detectedanomalous conditions.

Communication unit 330 may be configured to facilitate communicationsbetween computing device 300 and one or more other devices, such asother mobile computing devices, networks, external computing devices,infrastructure components (e.g., smart infrastructure components), etc.As previously discussed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, computingdevice 300 may be configured to communicate with these other devices inaccordance with any suitable number and type of communication protocols.Thus, in various aspects, communication unit 330 may be configured tosupport any suitable number and type of communication protocols basedupon a particular network and/or device in which computing device 300 iscommunicating to facilitate this functionality.

Communication unit 330 may be configured to support separate orconcurrent communications, which may be the same type of communicationprotocol or different types of communication protocols. For example,communication unit 330 may be configured to facilitate communicationsbetween computing device 300 and an external computing device (e.g.,external computing device 206) via cellular communications whilefacilitating communications between computing device 300 and the vehiclein which it is carried (e.g., vehicle 108) via BLUETOOTH communications.

Communication unit 330 may be configured to broadcast data and/or toreceive data in accordance with any suitable communications schedule.For example, communication unit 330 may be configured to broadcastgeographic location data, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/orvideo data every 15 seconds, every 30 seconds, every minute, etc. Aswill be further discussed below, the geographic location data,telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data may be sampledin accordance with any suitable sampling period. Thus, when broadcastedby communications unit 330 in accordance with a recurring schedule, thegeographic location data, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/orvideo data may include a log or collection of the geographic locationdata, telematics data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data that wassampled since the last data transmission. A suitable communicationschedule may be selected as a tradeoff between a desired anomalouscondition detection speed and battery usage of computing device 300,when applicable.

Additionally or alternatively, aspects include communication unit 330being configured to conditionally send data, which may be particularlyadvantageous when computing device 300 is implemented as a mobilecomputing device, as such conditions may help reduce power usage andprolong battery life. For example, communication unit 330 may beconfigured to only broadcast when telematics data and/or other datadiscussed herein (e.g., image, audio, and/or video data) has beensampled since the last transmission, which will be further discussedbelow with regards to sensor array 326. Controller 340 may determinewhether data has been sampled since the last transmission by, forexample, analyzing a memory address range (e.g., in data storage 360,RAM 308, etc.) associated with the storage of the telematics data and/orother data discussed herein and comparing the contents of this buffer toa known range of valid values.

To provide another example, aspects include communication unit 330 beingadditionally or alternatively configured to only broadcast telematicsdata and/or other data discussed herein when computing device 300 isconnected to a power source (e.g., an in-vehicle charger). To providestill another example, aspects include communication unit 330 beingadditionally or alternatively configured to only broadcast telematicsdata and/or other data discussed herein when communication unit 330 isconnected to and/or communicating with a device identified as a vehicle.This may include, for example, identifying a BLUETOOTH connection as avalid vehicle to satisfy this condition upon installation and/or setupof the relevant application or program executed by computing device 300to facilitate the functionality described herein.

Location acquisition unit 320 may be configured to generate geographiclocation data utilizing any suitable global positioning techniques. Forexample, location acquisition unit 320 may communicate with one or moresatellites and/or wireless transmitters to determine a location ofcomputing device 300. Location acquisition unit 320 may use “AssistedGlobal Positioning System” (A-GPS), satellite GPS, or any other suitableglobal positioning protocol (e.g., the GLONASS system operated by theRussian government, the Galileo system operated by the European Union,etc.) to determine a geographic location of computing device 300.

In one aspect, location acquisition unit 320 may periodically store oneor more geographic locations of computing device 300 as geographiclocation data in any suitable portion of memory utilized by computingdevice 300 (e.g., program memory 302, RAM 308, etc.) and/or to anotherdevice (e.g., another mobile computing device, an external computingdevice, etc.). In this way, location acquisition unit 320 may sample thelocation of computing device 300 in accordance with any suitablesampling rate (e.g., every 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, etc.) andstore this geographic location data representing the position ofcomputing device 300, and thus the vehicle in which it is travelling,over time.

Speaker/microphone 322 may be configured as one or more separatedevices. Speaker/microphone 322 may include a microphone configured todetect sounds and to convert sounds to data suitable for communicationsvia communications unit 330. Speaker/microphone 322 may additionally oralternatively include a speaker configured to play sound in response todata received from one or more components of computing device 300 (e.g.,controller 340). In one embodiment, speaker/microphone 322 may beconfigured to play audible alerts.

User-interface 328 may be implemented as any suitable device configuredto collect user input, such as a “soft” keyboard displayed on display316 of computing device 300, a keyboard attached to computing device300, an external keyboard communicating via a wired or a wirelessconnection (e.g., a BLUETOOTH keyboard), an external mouse, etc.

Sensor array 326 may be configured to measure any suitable number and/ortype of sensor metrics as part of the telematics data. In one aspect,sensor array 326 may be implemented as one or more sensors positioned todetermine the speed, force, heading, direction, and/or any othersuitable metric(s) and/or indication(s) associated with movements ofcomputing device 300 and, thus, a vehicle in which computing device 300is positioned. Additionally or alternatively, sensor array 326 may beconfigured to communicate with one or more portions of computing device300 to measure, collect, and/or generate one or more sensor metricsand/or other indication(s) from one or more non-sensor sources, whichwill be further discussed below.

To generate one or more sensor metrics, sensor array 326 may include,for example, one or more cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes,magnetometers, barometers, thermometers, proximity sensors, lightsensors, Hall Effect sensors, etc. In aspects in which sensor array 326includes one or more accelerometers, sensor array 326 may be configuredto measure and/or collect accelerometer metric values utilizing anX-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis accelerometer. In accordance with suchaspects, sensor array 326 may measure sensor metric values as athree-dimensional accelerometer vector that represents the movement ofcomputing device 300 in three dimensional space by combining the outputsof the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis accelerometers using any suitabletechniques.

In one aspect, sensor array 326 may include one or more cameras and/orother image and/or video capture devices. In accordance with suchaspects, the one or more cameras or other image and/or video capturedevices (e.g., camera 212, which may be configured to capture imagesand/or video) that are part of sensor array 326 may be mounted orotherwise positioned on mobile computing device 300. The one or morecameras and/or other image and/or video capture devices may be mountedor otherwise positioned on mobile computing device 300 such that, whenmobile computing device 300 is docked, cradled, or otherwise mountedwithin a vehicle (e.g., mounted within vehicle dashboard cradle 210),images and/or video may be captured from this vantage point. Forexample, camera 212 of mobile computing device 204.1 (which may be animplementation of computing device 300), as implemented by sensor array326, may function as a dashboard camera and/or a camera with othersuitable functionality and capability, capturing images and/or videodata of various objects outside of and/or inside of the vehicle. In someaspects, camera 212 may be positioned to take images forward of and/orin a vicinity of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle 202.1). Additionally oralternatively, mobile computing device 300 (e.g., implemented as mobilecomputing device 204.1) may capture audio data with the image and/orvideo data via speaker/microphone 322.

In various aspects, mobile computing device 300 may begin to capturedata upon detecting that it has been placed in a cradle, and otherwisenot capture data in such a manner. This detection may occur, forexample, via one or more conditions being satisfied. For example, mobilecomputing device 300 may utilize one or more sensors (e.g., anaccelerometer that is part of sensor array 326) to determine that mobilecomputing device 300 has changed orientation to horizontal (as is commonwhen docked in a vehicle), that mobile computing device 300 iscommunicating via BLUETOOTH with the vehicle, that the vehicle is movingabove a threshold speed, etc. Aspects include any suitable number ofconditions, upon being satisfied, triggering mobile computing device 300to start collecting telematics data, images, audio, video, etc.,including data collected via sensor array 326.

In various aspects, sensor array 326 may be configured to sample the oneor more sensor metrics in accordance with any suitable sampling rateand/or based upon one or more conditions being satisfied. For example,sensor array 326 may be configured to implement one or moreaccelerometers to sample sensor metrics indicative of a g-forceassociated with vehicle braking, acceleration, and cornering at a rateof 15 Hz, 30 Hz, 60 Hz, etc., which may be the same sampling rate as oneanother or different sampling rates. To provide another example, sensorarray 326 may be configured to implement one or more gyroscopes toimprove the accuracy of the measured one or more sensor metrics and todetermine whether computing device 300 is in use or stationary within avehicle. To provide another example, sensor array 326 may implement acompass (magnetometer) to determine a direction or heading of a vehiclein which computing device 300 is located.

Again, sensor array 326 may additionally or alternatively communicatewith other portions of computing device 300 to obtain one or more sensormetrics even though these sensor metrics may not be measured by one ormore sensors that are part of sensor array 326. For example, sensorarray 326 may communicate with one or more of location acquisition unit320, communication unit 330, and/or controller 340 to obtain data suchas timestamps synchronized to the sampling of one or more sensor metrics(which may be measured to within hundredths of a second or smallerresolutions), geographic location data (and correlated timestampsthereof), a velocity based upon changes in the geographic location dataover time, a battery level of computing device 300, whether a battery ofcomputing device 300 is charging, whether computing device 300 is beinghandled or otherwise in use, an operating status of computing device 300(e.g., whether computing device 300 is unlocked and thus in use).

In various aspects, sensor array 326 may base timestamps upon anysuitable clock source, such as one utilized by location acquisition unit320 for GNSS functions. The timestamps may be, for example, recorded orlogged as various data is sampled to be synchronized to the sampling ofone or more sensor metrics (which may be measured to within hundredthsof a second or smaller resolutions).

Additionally or alternatively, sensor array 326, location acquisitionunit 320, and/or communication unit 330 may log or otherwise measurevarious metrics or other data that may be used by controller 340 todetermine how often the functionality of the Telematics Application isbeing utilized when a vehicle is being driven. For example, sensor array326 may log the time when telematics data and/or other data describedherein is being collected, when the Telematics Application is running,and/or when the Telematics Application has been started. To provideadditional examples, communication unit 330 may store data indicative ofa BLUETOOTH connection status of computing device 300. To provide yetanother example, location acquisition unit 320 may store and/or log thechanges in geographic location of computing device 300 over time.

In various aspects, controller 340 may determine how often a driver usesthe Telematics App based upon any suitable combination of theaforementioned data. For example, the BLUETOOTH connection status may beleveraged to determine whether computing device 300 is located in avehicle. To provide another example, the changes in the geographiclocation data over time may be utilized to determine whether computingdevice 300 has exceeded a threshold speed for a threshold duration oftime. In this way, a determination may be made whether computing device300 is located in a vehicle while the vehicle is being driven.

Various aspects include the aforementioned data being leveraged tocalculate a usage amount in which a user utilizes the Telematics Appwhile driving. For example, the usage amount may be based upon a totalproportion of time (e.g., 80% of the time while driving, thefunctionality provided by the Telematics App is enabled). To provideanother example, the usage amount may be mileage-based (e.g., 90% of themiles driven are done so with the functionality of the Telematics Appavailable to the driver). As discussed above, this usage data may besent to an insurer or other third party via a telematics datatransmission or a separate transmission and used to set and/or adjust aninsurance policy, premium, or discount for the insured customer.

In one aspect, sensor array 326 may sample one or more sensor metricsbased upon one or more conditions being satisfied. For example, sensorarray 326 may determine, based upon gyroscope sensor metrics,communication with controller 340, etc., whether computing device 300 isin use. If computing device 300 is in use (e.g., when implemented as amobile computing device) then the movement of computing device 300within the vehicle may not truly represent the vehicle motion, therebycausing sensor metrics sampled during this time to be erroneous.Therefore, aspects include sensor array 326 sampling the one or moresensor metrics when computing device 300 is not in use, and otherwisenot sampling the one or more sensor metrics.

As discussed above, in one aspect, sensor array 326 may include one ormore cameras and/or image and/or video capture devices (e.g., camera212). When sensor array 326 is implemented with one or more cameras,these cameras may be configured as any suitable type of cameraconfigured to capture and/or store images and/or video. For example,when computing device 300 is mounted in a vehicle (e.g., when computingdevice 300 is implemented as mobile computing device 204.1 mounted invehicle dashboard cradle 210), the camera may be configured to storeimages and/or video data of the road in front of the vehicle in which itis mounted, and to store this data to any suitable portion of programmemory 302 (e.g., data storage 360). Controller 340 and/or MP 306 mayanalyze this data to generate one or more local alerts, to transmitsignals indicative of detected alerts to one or more other devices,etc., which is further discussed below with reference to the executionof anomalous condition detection routine 358.

Again, the telematics data and/or other data discussed herein that isbroadcasted by computing device 300 may include one or more sensormetrics. However, the telematics data and/or other data discussed hereinmay additionally or alternatively include other external data that maybe relevant in determining the presence of an anomalous condition. Forexample, the telematics data may include external data such as speedlimit data correlated to a road upon which computing device 300 islocated (and thus the vehicle in which it is travelling), an indicationof a type of road, a population density corresponding to the geographiclocation data, etc.

In some aspects, computing device 300 may obtain this external data byreferencing the geographic location data to locally stored data (e.g.,data stored in data storage 360) and broadcasting this data appended toor otherwise included with the sensor metrics data as part of thetelematics data. In other aspects, the device receiving the telematicsdata (e.g., a mobile computing device, an external computing device, aninfrastructure component) may generate the external data locally or viacommunications with yet another device. As will be further discussedbelow, this external data may further assist the determination ofwhether an anomalous condition is present.

In some aspects, software applications 344 and/or software routines 352may reside in program memory 302 as default applications that may bebundled together with the OS of computing device 300. For example, webbrowser 348 may be part of software applications 344 that are includedwith OS 342 implemented by computing device 300.

In other aspects, software applications 344 and/or software routines 352may be installed on computing device 300 as one or more downloads, suchas an executable package installation file downloaded from a suitableapplication store via a connection to the Internet. For example, alertnotification application 346, telematics collection routine 354,geographic location determination routine 356, and/or anomalouscondition detection routine 358 may be stored to suitable portions ofprogram memory 302 upon installation of a package file downloaded insuch a manner. Examples of package download files may include downloadsvia the iTunes store, the Google Play Store, the Windows Phone Store,downloading a package installation file from another computing device,etc. Once downloaded, alert notification application 346 may beinstalled on computing device 300 as part of an installation packagesuch that, upon installation of alert notification application 346,telematics collection routine 354, geographic location determinationroutine 356, and/or anomalous condition detection routine 358 may alsobe installed.

In one embodiment, software applications 344 may include an alertnotification application 346, which may be implemented as a series ofmachine-readable instructions for performing the various tasksassociated with executing one or more embodiments described herein. Inone aspect, alert notification application 346 may cooperate with one ormore other hardware or software portions of computing device 300 tofacilitate these functions.

In one aspect, alert notification application 346 may function as aTelematics Application (or “App”) which is downloaded and installed onmobile computing device (or mobile device) 300 by a user via a suitablethird-party software store and/or portal (e.g., Apple iTunes, GooglePlay, the Windows Store, etc.).

To provide an illustrative example, software applications 344 mayinclude instructions for performing tasks such as determining ageographic location of computing device 300 (e.g., via communicationswith location acquisition unit 320); monitoring, measuring, generating,and/or collecting telematics data and/or other data discussed herein(e.g., image, audio, and/or video data); broadcasting the geographiclocation data, the telematics data, and/or the other data discussedherein to one or more external devices; receiving geographic locationdata, telematics data, and/or other data discussed herein from anothercomputing device; determining whether an anomalous condition existsbased upon the geographic location data, the telematics data, and/or theother data discussed herein; generating one or more alerts indicative ofthe determined anomalous condition; receiving user input; facilitatingcommunications between computing device 300 and one or more otherdevices in conjunction with communication unit 330, etc.

To provide another example, aspects include mobile computing device 300(e.g., implemented as mobile computing device 204.1) being configured tocapture image and/or video data while cradled in a dock or otherwisemounted in a vehicle, as previously discussed (e.g., while mounted invehicle dashboard cradle 210). Mobile computing device 300 may also oralternatively be configured to capture audio data, as previouslydiscussed. In accordance with various aspects, the capture of image,audio, and/or video data may be facilitated, for example, byinstructions stored in alert notification application 346 being executedby controller 340 and/or MP 306. In various aspects, alert notificationapplication 346 may facilitate mobile computing device 300 capturingimage, audio, and/or video data at any suitable sampling rate (e.g.,once every second, 5 times per second, etc.) and storing this data toany suitable portion of mobile computing device 300 (e.g., data storage360). Aspects include data sampling processes occurring as backgroundoperations to allow other applications to be run on mobile computingdevice 300 (e.g., navigation applications) while telematics data and/orimage, video, and/or audio data is collected by mobile computing device300.

Software applications 344 may include a web browser 348. In someembodiments (e.g., when computing device 300 is implemented as a mobilecomputing device), web browser 348 may be a native web browserapplication, such as Apple's Safari®, Google Android™ mobile webbrowser, Microsoft Internet Explorer® for Mobile, Opera Mobile™, etc. Inother embodiments, web browser 348 may be implemented as an embedded webbrowser.

Regardless of the implementation of web browser 348, various aspectsinclude web browser 348 being implemented as a series ofmachine-readable instructions for interpreting and displaying web pageinformation received from an external computing device (e.g., externalcomputing device 206, as shown in FIG. 2). This web page information maybe utilized in conjunction with alert notification application 346 toperform one or more functions of the aspects as described herein.

In one embodiment, software routines 352 may include a telematicscollection routine 354. Telematics collection routine 354 may includeinstructions, that when executed by controller 340, facilitate sampling,monitoring, measuring, collecting, quantifying, storing, encrypting,transmitting, and/or broadcasting of telematics data. In some aspects,telematics collection routine 354 may facilitate collection oftelematics data locally via one or more components of computing device300 (e.g., via sensor array 326, location acquisition unit 320,controller 340, etc.). In other aspects, telematics collection routine354 may facilitate the storage of telematics data received from anotherdevice (e.g., via communication unit 330).

In one aspect, telematics collection routine 354 may work in conjunctionwith controller 340 and/or alert notification application 346 toperiodically listen for and/or to periodically broadcast telematicsdata. For example, controller 340 may, upon executing alert notificationapplication 346, periodically listen for a broadcast containingtelematics data generated and transmitted from other computing devices,vehicles, external computing devices, and/or smart infrastructurecomponents. Upon detecting a broadcast, controller 340 may download thebroadcast to a suitable portion of program memory 302 and analyze thetelematics data contained therein for potential traffic events, travelevents, alerts, messages, etc. Such aspects may be particularly useful,for example, to save battery life of the computing device, as continuouslistening is not necessary but instead may be performed, for example, inaccordance with a particular timing schedule.

To provide another example, controller 340 may, upon executing alertnotification application 346, periodically broadcast telematics data,which may be received by other computing devices, vehicles, externalcomputing devices, and/or smart infrastructure components.

In one embodiment, software routines 352 may include a geographiclocation determination routine 356. Geographic location determinationroutine 356 may include instructions, that when executed by controller340, facilitate sampling, measuring, collecting, quantifying, storing,transmitting, and/or broadcasting of geographic location data (e.g.,latitude and longitude coordinates). In some aspects, geographiclocation determination routine 356 may facilitate generating and/orstoring geographic location data locally via one or more components ofcomputing device 300 (e.g., via location acquisition unit 320 and/orcommunication unit 330). In some aspects, geographic locationdetermination routine 356 may additionally or alternatively facilitatethe storage of geographic location data received from another device(e.g., via communication unit 330).

Additionally or alternatively, software routines 352 may includeanomalous condition detection routine 358. Anomalous condition detectionroutine 358 may include instructions, that when executed by controller340, facilitate the determination of whether an anomalous conditionexists based upon the telematics data, the geographic location data,and/or image, audio, and/or video data captured by one or more camerasor other imaging devices and/or a microphone, for example. As notedabove, the image, audio, and/or video data capture may be facilitated,for example, by instructions stored in alert notification application346 being executed by controller 340 and/or MP 306. In another aspect,the image, audio, and/or video data capture may be facilitated, forexample, by instructions of software routines 352 (e.g., telematicscollection routine 354, geographic location determination routine 356,anomalous condition detection routine 358, and/or another suitableroutine(s) including instructions that, when executed by controller 340,facilitate the image, audio, and/or video data capture).

An anomalous condition may include any suitable condition that indicatesa deviation from normal traffic patterns, including a hazard such as avehicle accident, congestion, a pedestrian on or near a road (e.g.,ahead of a vehicle on a road on which the vehicle is traveling, orotherwise in a vicinity of the vehicle and on or associated with theroad, such as within a threshold distance of a side of the road), ananimal on or near a road (e.g., ahead of a vehicle on a road orotherwise in a vicinity of the vehicle, as discussed with respect to apedestrian), etc. For example, if an accident occurs, traffic may slowdown due to a car pileup, a reduction in available lanes, and/orrerouting of traffic. Because the telematics data may include dataindicative of the speed limit at the location corresponding to thegeographic location where the telematics data was sampled, a comparisonbetween the speed of computing device 300 and the posted or other speedlimit data (such as a comparison between mobile device or vehicle speedwith a map of, and/or known, posted speed limit information) mayindicate an anomalous condition. Furthermore, because each vehicle maysample and/or broadcast geographic location data and/or telematics datain real time, the anomalous conditions may be detected with minimaldelay as they occur.

Although the speed of the vehicle may indicate an anomalous condition,aspects include other types of anomalous conditions being detected basedupon the telematics data. For example, an anomalous condition may beidentified when the one or more sensor metrics indicate that an airbaghas been deployed, and thus the vehicle associated with computing device300 has been in an accident. This may be determined, for example, via ananalysis of barometer readings matching a pressure versus time profileand/or via an indication from a dedicated airbag deployment sensorlocated in the vehicle.

To provide another example, an anomalous condition may be identifiedbased upon weather fluctuations associated with a rapid formation ofice, a sudden change from a paved to a dirt road, the triggering of acrash detection system, a threshold number of wheel slips and/or skidsbeing sampled within a threshold sampling period (indicating slipperyconditions), sensor metrics indicative of a rollover condition, a suddenstop (indicating a collision), a departure from the road (indicating apulled over vehicle), etc.

To provide an illustrative example based upon a traffic accident, if afirst vehicle carrying a first computing device 300 is slowed down dueto a traffic accident, then the one or more sensor metrics sampled bysensor array 326 may indicate the speed of the first vehicle over aperiod of time. If the one or more sensor metrics indicate that thefirst vehicle's speed is below the speed limit by some threshold amountor proportion thereof (e.g., 20 mph in a 55 mph zone, 50% of the postedspeed limit, etc.) and this is maintained for a threshold duration oftime (e.g., 30 seconds, one minute, two minutes, etc.) then controller340 may, upon execution of anomalous condition detection routine 358,conclude that an anomalous condition has been detected.

Additionally or alternatively, controller 340 may, in this example, uponexecution of anomalous condition detection routine 358, conclude that ananomalous condition has been detected based upon image, audio, and/orvideo data captured by one or more cameras or other imaging devicesand/or a microphone. For instance, upon execution of anomalous conditiondetection routine 358, controller 340 may conclude that a trafficaccident has occurred based upon one or more images taken forward of avehicle (e.g., vehicle 202.1) by a camera (e.g., camera 212 of mobilecomputing device 204.1 mounted in vehicle dashboard cradle 210, wheremobile computing device 204.1 may be an implementation of the firstcomputing device 300). This anomalous condition may also be correlatedto the geographic location associated with the geographic location datadue to synchronization between the geographic location data and thesampled telematics data.

Further continuing this example, upon determination of the anomalouscondition, alert notification application 346 may broadcast anotification indicating the detected anomalous condition, the telematicsdata, the geographic location data associated with the detectedanomalous condition, and/or the image, audio, and/or video data. In oneaspect, a second vehicle equipped with a second computing device 300 mayreceive this data and further determine whether the anomalous conditionis relevant based upon the geographic relationship between the first andsecond devices, which is further discussed below. If the anomalouscondition is relevant, then the second computing device 300 may generatean alert indicating the anomalous condition.

To provide another example by modifying the details of the previous one,aspects may include computing device 300 broadcasting telematics data,geographic location data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data but notnotification data. In accordance with such aspects, upon suchbroadcasted data being received by a second computing device 300 (e.g.,a mobile computing device in a second vehicle, an external computingdevice, a smart infrastructure component, etc.) the second computingdevice 300 may determine the relevance of the anomalous condition basedupon the geographic relationship between itself and the first computingdevice 300.

If the second computing device 300 determines that an anomalouscondition, even if present, would be irrelevant or inapplicable basedupon the distance between these devices, the second computing device 300may ignore the telematics data and/or the image, audio, and/or videodata, thereby saving processing power and battery life. However, if thesecond computing device 300 determines that the geographic location dataindicates a potentially relevant anomalous condition, the secondcomputing device 300 may further process the telematics data and/or theimage, audio, and/or video data and take the appropriate relevant actionif an anomalous condition is found (e.g., issue an alert notification,generate an alert, display a warning message, etc.).

To provide yet another example by further modifying the details in theprevious two, aspects may include first computing device 300broadcasting the telematics data, the geographic location data, and/orthe image, audio, and/or video data to an external computing device(e.g., to external computing device 206 via network 201, as shown inFIG. 2). In addition, the second computing device 300 associated withthe second vehicle may likewise broadcast telematics data, geographiclocation data, and/or image, audio, and/or video data to the externalcomputing device. In accordance with such aspects, the externalcomputing device may determine whether an anomalous condition exists andis relevant to one or more of the first and/or second computing devices300 based upon, for example, a geographic relationship between the firstand second computing devices 300. When relevant, external computingdevice may be configured to send alert notifications to the first and/orsecond computing devices 300, which may include any suitable type ofcommunications such as push notifications, a short messaging service(SMS) message, an email, a notification that is used in conjunction withthe OS running on each receptive computing device 300, etc. Uponreceiving the notification from the external computing device, the firstand/or second computing device 300 may generate an alert indicating, forexample, a description of the anomalous condition and/or its location.

The geographic relationship between two or more computing devices 300may be utilized in several ways to determine the relevance of theanomalous condition. For instance, current speed, location, route,destination, and/or direction of travel of a first vehicle (collectingand/or associated with the telematics data and/or the image, audio,and/or video data) may be individually or collectively compared withcurrent speed, location, route, destination, and/or direction of travelof a second vehicle traveling on the road. As one example of utilizationof the geographic relationship, the first vehicle location, currentroute, and/or destination (where the first vehicle may be associatedwith a travel or traffic event) may be compared with a second vehiclelocation, current route, and/or destination to determine whether thesecond vehicle should divert course or slow down to alleviate the riskof the second vehicle being involved in a collision or a traffic jam (asa result of the travel or traffic event that is identified by thetelematics data and/or the image, audio, and/or video data).

As another example of the geographic relationship, a radius from onevehicle or a line-of-sight distance between vehicles may be utilized andcompared to a threshold distance. For example, if computing device 300is implemented as an external computing device and determines aline-of-sight distance between a first and second vehicle to be lessthan a threshold distance (e.g., a half mile, one mile, etc.), then theexternal computing device may issue an alert notification to bothvehicles. In this way, an external computing device may act as an alertmanagement device, processing data and sending notifications to thosedevices for which a detected anomalous condition is relevant.

In another example of the geographic relationship, the geographiclocation data may be correlated with a map database to associate theanomalous condition with a road and to determine the relevance of theanomalous condition based upon other vehicles sharing the road. The mapdatabase may be stored, for example, in a suitable portion of computingdevice 300 (e.g., data storage 360) or retrieved via communications withone or more external computing devices. To provide an illustrativeexample, a computing device 300 may be implemented as an externalcomputing device. The external computing device may determine, fromtelematics data and geographic location data received from a firstcomputing device 300, that a first vehicle is located on a highway at acertain geographic location. If the external computing device determinesthat a second computing device 300 in a vehicle travelling on the samehighway is within a threshold distance approaching the first vehicle,then the external computing device may issue an alert notification tothe second vehicle.

In yet other aspects, the geographic location data may be correlatedwith a geofence database to determine the relevance of the anomalouscondition based upon whether other vehicles are located inside thegeofence. The geofence database may be stored, for example, in asuitable portion of computing device 300 (e.g., data storage 360) orretrieved via communications with one or more external computingdevices. To provide another illustrative example, a computing device 300may be implemented as an external computing device. The externalcomputing device may determine, from telematics data and geographiclocation data received from a first computing device 300, that a firstvehicle is located on a highway at a certain geographic location. Theexternal computing device may calculate a geofence having a shapesubstantially matching the road upon which the first vehicle istravelling.

The geofence may be calculated as having any suitable shape such thatthe appropriate vehicles are notified of the detected anomalouscondition. For example, the geofence shape may follow the contours ofthe road and extend ahead of the first vehicle and behind the firstvehicle some threshold distances, which may be the same or differentthan one another. To provide another example, the geofence shape mayinclude other arterial roads that feed into the road upon which thefirst vehicle is travelling, roads anticipated to be impacted by theanomalous condition, etc.

In some aspects, the geofence may be adjusted or modified based upon achange in the location of computing device 300. This change may betriggered using any suitable data indicative of potentially increasingroad densities, such as changes in population density data associatedwith the geographic location of the computing device 300, changes in atype of road upon which computing device 300 is determined to betravelling, etc.

For example, a first computing device 300 may be implemented as a mobilecomputing device and associated with a first vehicle, while a secondcomputing device 300 may be implemented as an external computing device.The external computing device may calculate an initial geofence as athreshold distance radius centered about the first vehicle's location.The geographic location data corresponding to the first vehicle'slocation may have associated population density data that is correlatedwith locally stored data or data retrieved by the external computingdevice. When the population density data surpasses a threshold densityvalue, the shape of the geofence may be adjusted from the radiuscentered about the first vehicle's location to include only the roadupon which the first vehicle is travelling. In this way, computingdevice 300 may prevent false alert notifications from being sent toother vehicles travelling in close proximity to the first vehicle, buton nearby roads unaffected by the detected anomalous condition.

To provide another illustrative example, as previously discussed, one ormore cameras integrated as part of sensor array 326 may store imageand/or video data from a vantage point within a vehicle in which mobilecomputing device 300 is mounted to act as a dashboard camera.Additionally or alternatively, a microphone (e.g., an implementation ofspeaker/microphone 322) may capture audio data that may also be storedas previously discussed. In accordance with such aspects, anomalouscondition detection routine 358 may include instructions, that whenexecuted by controller 340, facilitate the analysis of the image, audio,and/or video data to detect one or more anomalous conditions that maypose an immediate threat to the driver. These anomalous objects may alsobe identified as a travel or traffic event, as previously discussed.This analysis may be performed in accordance with, for example, anysuitable object recognition and/or image analysis to detect, forexample, images in the path of the vehicle, such as animals,pedestrians, other vehicles, potholes, etc.

Upon detecting an anomalous object, mobile computing device 300 mayissue the appropriate alert via display 316 and/or sound an alarm viaspeaker/microphone 322. Additionally or alternatively, mobile computingdevice 300 may, upon detecting an anomaly, broadcast one or more signalsvia communication unit 330, which are received directly or indirectly byother mobile computing devices. Again, these other mobile computingdevices may then generate alert notifications locally when close to thegeographic location of mobile computing device 300 where the signal wasbroadcasted. Aspects in which the detected anomalous condition is sharedin this manner may be particularly useful when the identified anomaly islikely to threaten other drivers using the same road, such as potholesor objects blocking the roadway, for example.

Although FIG. 3 depicts controller 340 as including one program memory302, one MP 306, and one RAM 308, controller 340 may include anysuitable number of each of program memory 302, MP 306, and RAM 308.Furthermore, although FIG. 3 depicts controller 340 as having a singleI/O interface 310, controller 340 may include any suitable number and/ortypes of I/O interfaces 310. In various aspects, controller 340 mayimplement RAM(s) 308 and program memories 302 as any suitable type ofmemory, such as non-transitory computer readable memories, semiconductormemories, magnetically readable memories, and/or optically readablememories, for example.

Exemplary Screenshots of an Alert Notification Application

FIG. 4A illustrates an example mobile computing device home screen 400in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure. Invarious aspects, home screen 400 is displayed on a mobile computingdevice, such as mobile computing device 110 or one of mobile computingdevices 204.1 or 204.2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Inaccordance with such aspects, home screen 400 may be displayed as partof a device display, such as display 316, for example, as shown in FIG.3.

Home screen 400 may be displayed as a default screen on a mobilecomputing device. In one embodiment, home screen 400 may facilitate alock screen of a mobile computing device. Lock screens may be typicallydisplayed when a user locks the mobile computing device to enter a lockscreen mode (e.g., by pressing a physical button). Additionally oralternatively, the mobile computing device may revert to the lock screenwhen inactive for a threshold period of time. The lock screen prevents auser from using a portion of the mobile computing device functionality.For example, a lock screen might prevent a mobile computing device in auser's pocket from accidentally sending SMS messages or phone calls.

Although lock screens typically limit the functionality of the devicewhen enabled, it may be desirable for certain applications to provide auser with some functionality via the lock screen. For example, if themobile computing device is used to play music, a lock screen overlaycould allow a user to change tracks, pause a track, or adjust the volumelevel without unlocking the phone. In accordance with some aspects,alert notification 402 may be displayed as part of a home screen and/orlock screen of a mobile computing device, as shown in FIG. 4A.

Although alert notification 402 may be displayed as part of home screen400, other aspects include alert notification 402 being displayed aspart of a notification system separate from home screen 400. Forexample, some mobile phone operating systems (e.g., the Android OS)implement a universal “pull-down” notification system where all incomingnotifications are displayed. In these notification systems, newnotifications are initially previewed in a notification bar at the topof the phone display, and a user may pull down the notification bar(e.g., by using a swiping gesture) to access the details of any receivednotifications. In one aspect, alert notification 402 may be displayed aspart of a notification bar type notification.

As previously discussed with reference to FIG. 3, a device running thealert notification application may be configured to determine whether ananomalous condition has been detected and/or to receive alertnotifications sent by other devices that have done so. In accordancewith such aspects, alert notification 402 is a block diagramrepresentation of what may be generated upon detection of an anomalouscondition and/or receiving an indication that an anomalous condition hasbeen detected. Alert notification 402 may be implemented as any suitablegraphic, label, text, description, etc., to convey this to a user. Inone embodiment, alert notification 402 may be interactive and mayfacilitate a user selection via an appropriate gesture (e.g., swiping,tapping, etc.).

FIG. 4B illustrates an example mobile computing device applicationscreen 450 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure. In various aspects, application screen 450 may be displayedon a mobile computing device, such as mobile computing device 110 or oneof mobile computing devices 204.1 or 204.2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,respectively. In accordance with such aspects, application screen 450may be displayed as part of a device display, such as display 316, forexample, as shown in FIG. 3.

In one aspect, application screen 450 may be displayed upon a userselecting alert notification 402 from home screen 400. Applicationscreen 450 may include an alert description 452, an alert location 454,and an alert response 456. Alert description 452 is a block diagramrepresentation of one or more descriptions of the alerts related to thedetected anomalous condition. Alert description 452 may be implementedas any suitable image, video, audio, graphic, label, text, description,etc., to convey this to a user. For example, alert description 452 mayinclude a text description such as “slow traffic ahead,” “traffic atstandstill ahead,” “unpaved road ahead,” “potential icy conditionsahead,” “pulled over vehicle ahead,” “vehicle accident ahead,”“pedestrian 500 feet ahead,” “animal 1 block ahead,” etc. In anotheraspect, alert description 452 may include an image of the detectedanomalous condition, such as an image of a vehicle accident or otherhazard forward of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 202.1), for example.

Alert location 454 is a block diagram representation of one or moredescriptions of the location of the anomalous condition. Alert location454 may be implemented as any suitable image, video, audio, graphic,label, text, description, etc., to convey this to a user. For example,alert location 454 may include a directional compass indicating adirection towards the anomalous condition from the mobile computingdevice displaying application screen 450. To provide additionalexamples, alert location 454 may include a distance to the anomalouscondition, a map overlaid with the location of the mobile computingdevice displaying application screen 450 to indicate the position of themobile computing device in relation to the anomalous condition, thethreshold distances and/or geofences used to determine the relevance ofthe anomalous condition, an image indicating the position of the mobilecomputing device in relation to the anomalous condition, etc.

Alert response 456 is a block diagram representation of one or moredescriptions of a directed response to the anomalous condition. Alertresponse 456 may be implemented as any suitable image, video, audio,graphic, label, text, description, etc., to convey this to a user. Forexample, alert response 456 may include a text indication to “stop forpedestrian ahead,” a map, image, video, audio, or other indication of ananomalous condition in a vicinity of a vehicle so as to inform a driverof the vehicle how to avoid the anomalous condition, etc.

Method of Generating and Broadcasting Telematics Data

As noted herein, telematics data associated with a first vehicle may becollected in real-time by a mobile device of a first driver. The mobiledevice may be specifically configured to gather or generate telematicsand/or other driver/vehicle data in real-time as the vehicle istraveling. If a traffic event is encountered, about to be encountered,and/or expected or anticipated to be encountered by the vehicle as ittravels, the telematics data collected may indicate such. The mobiledevice itself may be configured to identify the type of traffic eventand transmit the type of traffic event to other mobile devices, a remoteserver, smart vehicles, and/or smart infrastructure. Additionally oralternatively, the mobile device may transmit the telematics data toother devices for analysis of the telematics data transmitted at thoseother devices (e.g., mobile devices, a remote server, smart vehicles,and/or smart infrastructure).

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of generating andbroadcasting telematics (and/or other) data may be provided. The methodmay include: (1) generating and/or collecting, at or by a mobile deviceand/or smart vehicle controller, telematics data associated with a firstvehicle; (2) analyzing or reviewing, at or via the mobile device and/orsmart vehicle controller, the telematics data associated with the firstvehicle to determine that a travel event associated with the firstvehicle exists (that is revealed by the telematics data); (3)generating, at or via the mobile device and/or smart vehicle controller,a warning message (such as either visual or audible alert) associatedwith or detailing the travel event; and/or (4) transmitting orbroadcasting (via wireless communication and/or data transmission), ator from the mobile device and/or smart vehicle controller, the warningmessage associated with or detailing the travel event to (i) a secondmobile device associated with a second driver, (ii) a second smartvehicle controller of a second vehicle associated with the seconddriver, (iii) smart infrastructure, and/or (iv) a remote server suchthat telematics data generated and/or collected by the mobile device orsmart vehicle controller (and associated with the first (traveling)vehicle) may be used to facilitate safer driving and vehicle travel forother vehicles and drivers. The method may include additional, fewer, oralternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

For example, the mobile device and/or smart vehicle controller mayfurther (i) determine or extract a GPS or other location of the travelevent, (ii) determine vehicles in the vicinity of the travel event (suchas within a certain distance, e.g., 1 or 2 miles), and/or (iii) transmitthe warning message to the vehicles in the vicinity of the travel event(or to mobile devices associated with owners of those vehicles). Themobile device and/or smart vehicle controller may further (i) determineor extract a GPS or other location of the travel event, (ii) determinevehicles in the vicinity of the travel event, (iii) calculate ordetermine alternate routes for the vehicles in the vicinity of thetravel event (or to mobile devices associated with owners of thosevehicles), and/or (iv) transmit the alternate routes to the vehicles inthe vicinity of the travel event (or to mobile devices associated withowners of those vehicles) to facilitate re-routing traffic to safertravel routes using the telematics data gathered from an initial vehicleor mobile device involved with a travel event.

Exemplary End-User: Receiving & Analyzing Telematics Data

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of using telematics (and/orother) data may be provided. The method may include (a) receivingtelematics (and/or other) data, at or by (1) a mobile device associatedwith a driver or (2) a smart vehicle controller of a vehicle associatedwith the driver, via wireless communication and/or data transmission,the telematics data being generated by a second mobile device or secondsmart vehicle associated with a second driver; (b) analyzing thetelematics data, at or via the mobile device (or smart vehiclecontroller); (c) determining, at or via the mobile device (or smartvehicle controller), that an abnormal travel condition (or trafficevent) exists from the analysis of the telematics (and/or other) data;and/or (d) when the abnormal travel condition (or traffic event) exists,automatically taking a preventive or corrective action, at or via themobile device (or smart vehicle controller), that alleviates a negativeimpact of the abnormal travel condition (or traffic event) on the driverand/or the vehicle to facilitate safer and/or more efficient vehicletravel. The method may include additional, fewer, or alternate actions,including those discussed elsewhere herein.

For example, the abnormal condition may be based upon (and/or determinedfrom telematics (and/or other) data that reveals) vehicle, traffic,congestion, road construction, and/or weather conditions. The telematics(and/or other) data (1) may be generated and/or collected by a secondmobile device and/or a second smart vehicle (or second smart vehiclecontroller) associated with another driver, and/or (2) may includespeed, acceleration, deceleration, location, lane information, and/orother data of, or associated with, the second mobile device, secondsmart vehicle, and/or one or more other vehicles. Additionally oralternatively, the telematics (and/or other) data (1) may be generatedand/or collected by a second mobile device and/or a second smart vehicle(or second smart vehicle controller) associated with another driver,and/or (2) may include time, braking, acceleration, left turn, rightturn, heading, GPS (Global Positioning System) speed, GPS latitude andlongitude, gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usage informationor data of, or associated with, the second mobile device, second smartvehicle, and/or one or more other vehicles.

The preventive or corrective action taken may be: (i) generating ordetermining an alert, at or via the mobile device (and/or smart vehiclecontroller); (ii) presenting a visual alert, at or via the mobile device(and/or smart vehicle controller), on a display or display screenassociated with the mobile device (and/or smart vehicle controller);and/or (iii) providing an audio or audible alert, at or via the mobiledevice (and/or smart vehicle controller). The alert may be presented orprovided only after the mobile device (or smart vehicle controller)determines that the abnormal travel condition (or traffic event) isrelevant to the vehicle, such as by determining that a location of theabnormal travel condition (or traffic event) is in the vicinity of thevehicle and/or along a route that the vehicle is presently traveling.Additionally or alternatively, the preventive or corrective action takenmay be: (i) generating, determining, and/or receiving an alternatetravel route that avoids a GPS location of the travel or traffic event,at or via the mobile device (and/or smart vehicle controller); and/or(ii) presenting the alternative travel route, at or via the mobiledevice (and/or smart vehicle controller), on a display or display screenfor use by the driver; and/or providing audio driving directions for thevehicle to travel along the alternate route. The preventive orcorrective action taken may be: (i) generating, determining, and/orreceiving an alternate travel route that avoids a GPS location of thetravel or traffic event, at or via the mobile device (and/or smartvehicle controller); and/or (ii) automatically directing the vehicle totake or follow the alternative travel route, at or via the mobile device(and/or smart vehicle controller), such as by directing an autonomousvehicle to automatically take the alternate travel route.

The telematics data may be generated and/or collected by a second mobiledevice and/or a second smart vehicle (or second smart vehiclecontroller). The telematics (and/or other) data may be (1) generatedand/or collected by a second mobile device and/or a second smart vehicle(or second smart vehicle controller), and/or (2) transmitted from thesecond mobile device and/or second smart vehicle directly to the mobiledevice (and/or smart vehicle controller) via wireless communicationand/or data transmission (such as via peer-to-peer (P2P) communication).Additionally or alternatively, the telematics (and/or other) data may be(1) generated and/or collected by a second mobile device and/or a secondsmart vehicle (or second smart vehicle controller), and/or (2)transmitted from the second mobile device and/or second smart vehicledirectly to a remote server (such as an insurance provider remoteserver), and then relayed or transmitted from the remote server to themobile device (and/or smart vehicle controller) via wirelesscommunication and/or data transmission.

The telematics (and/or other) data may be (1) generated and/or collectedby a second mobile device and/or a second smart vehicle (or smartvehicle controller), and/or (2) transmitted from the second mobiledevice and/or second smart vehicle directly to smart infrastructure(such as a smart stop sign, smart street sign, smart toll both, and/orsmart road-side equipment, markers, or reflectors), and then relayed ortransmitted from the smart infrastructure to the mobile device (and/orsmart vehicle controller) via wireless communication and/or datatransmission. Additionally or alternatively, the telematics (and/orother) data may be (1) generated and/or collected by a second mobiledevice and/or a second smart vehicle (or second smart vehiclecontroller), and/or (2) transmitted from the second mobile device and/orsecond smart vehicle directly or indirectly to the mobile device (and/orsmart vehicle controller), such as via (a) vehicle-to-vehicle wirelesscommunication, (b) peer-to-peer (e.g., mobile device-to-mobile device)wireless communication, (c) vehicle-to-infrastructure wirelesscommunication, and/or (d) infrastructure-to-vehicle wirelesscommunication (and/or data transmission).

Exemplary End-User/Destination Devices

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of using telematics and/orother data may be provided. The method may include (a) receivingtelematics data, at or by (1) a mobile device associated with a driver,and/or (2) a smart vehicle controller of a vehicle associated with thedriver, via wireless communication and/or data transmission; (b)determining, at or via the mobile device (or smart vehicle controller),(i) a travel (or traffic) event, or that the travel event exists, fromanalysis of the telematics data, and/or (ii) that a travel event messageor warning associated with the travel event exists within, or isembedded within, the telematics data; and/or (c) if the travel eventexits, automatically taking a preventive or corrective action, at or viathe mobile device (or smart vehicle controller), that alleviates anegative impact of the travel event on the driver or vehicle tofacilitate safer and/or more efficient vehicle travel. The method mayinclude additional, fewer, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein and/or directly above.

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of using telematicsdata may be provided. The method may include (a) receiving anotification that an abnormal travel condition (or traffic event)exists, at or by (1) a mobile device associated with a driver, and/or(2) a smart vehicle controller of a vehicle associated with the driver,via wireless communication and/or data transmission, the notificationbeing determined from telematics data collected or generated by (i) asecond mobile device, and/or (ii) second smart vehicle (or smart vehiclecontroller) associated with a second driver; and/or (b) when theabnormal travel condition (or traffic event) exists, automaticallytaking a preventive or corrective action, at or via the mobile device(or smart vehicle controller), that alleviates a negative impact of theabnormal travel condition (or traffic event) on the driver and/or thevehicle to facilitate safer and/or more efficient vehicle travel. Theabnormal condition (or traffic event) may be based upon (and/ordetermined from telematics data that reveals) vehicle, traffic,congestion, road construction, and/or weather conditions, and thenotification defines the type of abnormal condition (or traffic event)and/or an extent of the abnormal condition (or traffic event), such asby (a) length of time, or (b) size or area impacted by the abnormalcondition (or traffic event). The telematics (and/or other) data mayinclude speed, acceleration, deceleration, location, lane information,and/or other data of, or associated with, the second mobile device,second smart vehicle, and/or one or more other vehicles. The telematics(and/or other) data may include time, braking, acceleration, left turn,right turn, heading, GPS (Global Positioning System) speed, GPS latitudeand longitude, gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usageinformation or data of, or associated with, the second mobile device,second smart vehicle, and/or one or more other vehicles. The method mayinclude additional, fewer, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of using telematics(and/or other) data may be provided. The method may include: (a)receiving telematics and/or other data (and/or other electroniccommunications or wireless messages), at or by (1) a mobile deviceassociated with a driver, and/or (2) a smart vehicle controller of avehicle associated with the driver, via wireless communication and/ordata transmission; (b) determining, at or via the mobile device (orsmart vehicle controller), that a travel (or traffic) event message orwarning associated with a travel (or traffic) event exists within, or isembedded within, the telematics and/or other data (and/or otherelectronic communications or wireless messages), the travel (or traffic)event being determined from telematics and/or other data collected orgenerated by a second mobile device associated with a second driver (ora second smart vehicle controller of another vehicle associated with thesecond driver); and/or (c) if so, (i) presenting the travel (or traffic)event message or warning, at or via the mobile device (or smart vehiclecontroller), on a display or display screen associated with the mobiledevice (or smart vehicle controller); and/or (ii) providing an audibleor audio alert associated with the travel (or traffic) event message orwarning to alleviate a negative impact of the travel (or traffic) eventon the driver and/or the vehicle to facilitate safer and/or moreefficient vehicle travel.

The travel (or traffic) event message or warning may be presented onlyafter the mobile device (or smart vehicle controller) determines thatthe traffic event message or warning is relevant to the vehicle, such asby determining that a location of the travel (or traffic) event is inthe vicinity of the vehicle, a GPS position associated with the vehicle,and/or along a route that the vehicle is traveling. The telematicsand/or other data may be transmitted from the second mobile deviceand/or second smart vehicle directly or indirectly to the mobile device(and/or smart vehicle controller), such as via (a) vehicle-to-vehiclewireless communication, (b) peer-to-peer (e.g., mobile device-to-mobiledevice) wireless communication, (c) vehicle-to-infrastructure wirelesscommunication, and/or (d) infrastructure-to-vehicle wirelesscommunication (and/or data transmission). The method may includeadditional, fewer, or alternate actions, including those discussedelsewhere herein.

Exemplary Smart Infrastructure or Remote Server

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of using telematics (and/orother) data may be provided. The method may include: (1) receivingtelematics data, at or by a remote server, and/or smart infrastructure(or associated equipment or processors), via wireless communicationand/or data transmission, the telematics data being generated,collected, and/or transmitted by (a) a mobile device associated with adriver, and/or (b) a smart vehicle controller of a vehicle associatedwith the driver; (2) analyzing or reviewing, at or via the remote serverand/or smart infrastructure, the telematics data received from themobile device and/or smart vehicle controller to determine that a travelevent associated with the vehicle or driver exists (that is revealed bythe telematics data); (3) generating, at or via the remote server and/orsmart infrastructure, a warning message (such as either visual oraudible alert) associated with or detailing the travel event; and/or (4)transmitting (via wireless communication and/or data transmission), ator from the remote server and/or smart infrastructure, the warningmessage associated with or detailing the travel event to (i) a secondmobile device associated with a second driver, and/or (ii) a secondsmart vehicle controller of a second vehicle associated with the seconddriver such that telematics data generated and/or collected by onemobile device or vehicle may be used to facilitate safer driving andvehicle travel for other vehicles and drivers. The method 808 mayinclude additional, fewer, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

For example, the remote server and/or smart infracture may further (i)determine or extract a GPS or other location of the travel event, (ii)determine vehicles in the vicinity of the travel event (such as within acertain distance, e.g., 1 or 2 miles), and/or (iii) transmit the warningmessage to the vehicles in the vicinity of the travel event (or tomobile devices associated with owners of those vehicles). The remoteserver and/or smart infracture may further (i) determine or extract aGPS or other location of the travel event, (ii) determine vehicles inthe vicinity of the travel event, (iii) calculate or determine alternateroutes for the vehicles in the vicinity of the travel event (or tomobile devices associated with owners of those vehicles), and/or (iv)transmit the alternate routes to the vehicles in the vicinity of thetravel event (or to mobile devices associated with owners of thosevehicles) to facilitate re-routing traffic to safer travel routes usingthe telematics data gathered from an initial vehicle or mobile deviceinvolved with a travel event.

Exemplary Computer Server or Smart Infrastructure

In one aspect, a computer server (or smart infrastructure) configured tore-route traffic using telematics and/or other data may be provided. Thecomputer server may include (1) a receiver configured to receivetelematics data via wireless communication and/or data transmission, thetelematics data being generated and transmitted by a first mobile deviceand/or first vehicle; (2) a processor configured to analyze thetelematics data received to determine a travel or traffic eventsassociated with the first mobile device and/or first vehicle exists,wherein the processor is further configured to generate a warningmessage associated with the travel or traffic event (such as a virtual,visual, haptic, or audible alert); and/or (3) a transmitter configuredto transmit the warning message to a second mobile device and/or secondvehicle via wireless communication and/or data transmission tofacilitate safer travel of the second vehicle using telematics datagathered, collected, or generated by the first mobile device and firstvehicle. The processor may be configured to calculate or determine analternate route that bypasses the travel or traffic event, and direct atransmission of the alternate route to the second mobile device and/orsecond vehicle via wireless communication and/or data transmission. Thecomputer server and/or smart infrastructure may include additional,fewer, and/or alternate components (and functionality), including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Source Mobile Device Generating & Transmitting the TelematicsData

In one aspect, a mobile device configured for telematics and/or otherdata collection, generation, and/or transmission may be provided. Themobile device may include (1) a processor configured to collectacceleration, braking, gyroscope, compass heading, turning, speed,and/or location-related data of a traveling vehicle at least once everysecond (i.e., approximately constantly or otherwise periodically), theprocessor further configured to generate a broadcast and/or wirelesscommunication message that incorporates the acceleration, braking,gyroscope, compass heading, turning, speed, and/or location-related datacollected; and/or (2) a transmitter configured to transmit via wirelesscommunication or data transmission the broadcast and/or wirelesscommunication message to nearby vehicles and/or roadside infrastructureto facilitate safer vehicle travel for other vehicles using thetelematics data of the traveling vehicle collected and transmitted bythe mobile device. The mobile device may be configured with additional,less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhereherein.

Exemplary End-User Device: Listening for Telematics Broadcast

In one aspect, a mobile device configured to listen for a telematicsdata transmission and then receive that transmission may be provided.The mobile device may include (1) a processor configured to listen for atelematics data broadcast or transmission transmitted by a nearbyvehicle and/or roadside infrastructure, the telematics data includingacceleration, braking, gyroscope, compass heading, turning, speed,and/or location-related data of a traveling vehicle at least once everysecond (i.e., approximately, constantly or otherwise periodically), theprocessor further configured to turn on a receiver when it is determinedthat the telematics broadcast or transmission exists (and/or is withinreception range); and/or (2) a receiver configured to receive viawireless communication or data transmission the telematics databroadcast or transmission transmitted from the nearby vehicle and/orroadside infrastructure, wherein the processor is further configured toanalyze telematics data embedded within the telematics data broadcast ortransmission to determine (i) that a travel or traffic event associatedwith another vehicle has occurred; and/or (ii) a location of the travelor traffic event, and if a relevant travel or traffic event isdetermined by the processor to be in the vicinity (such as within a fewblocks or a few miles), and/or along a current route, of the mobiledevice or an associated vehicle, the processor takes or directs acorrective or preventive action to facilitate safer vehicle travel forthe vehicle by using the telematics data of another vehicle collectedand transmitted within the telematics data broadcast or transmission.The corrective or preventive action may be to generate a warning oralert (such as either visual or audible) to a driver of the vehicle. Thecorrective or preventive action may be to generate an alternate routefor the vehicle that avoids a GPS location of the travel or trafficevent, and/or then re-routes the vehicle to avoid the travel or trafficevent. The mobile device may include additional, less, or alternatefunctionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Remote Server

In one aspect, a remote server configured to use telematics and/or otherdata from one driver to facilitate safer vehicle travel for anotherdriver may be provided. The remote server may include (1) a receiver (ortransceiver) configured to receive a data transmission and/or wirelesscommunication containing or including telematics data, the telematicsdata being generated and/or transmitted from a first mobile deviceand/or first smart vehicle (associated with a first driver); (2) adatabase and/or memory unit storing vehicle navigation information,virtual road maps, and/or computer-readable instructions; (3) aprocessor configured to access the database and/or memory unit, whereinthe processor is configured to automatically identify or determine (i) atravel (or traffic) event; (ii) a GPS or other location of the travelevent; and/or (iii) an estimated or actual geographical and/or temporalscope of the travel event from computer analysis of the telematics data,the processor further being configured to generate a travelevent-related data transmission and/or wireless communication associatedwith, corresponding to, and/or detailing the travel event, and/orlocation and/or extent thereof; and/or (4) a transmitter (ortransceiver) configured to transmit the travel event-related datatransmission and/or wireless communication to a second mobile deviceand/or second smart vehicle (associated with a second driver of a secondvehicle) to facilitate the second mobile device and/or second smartvehicle taking corrective action to enable safer vehicle travel for thesecond driver based upon the telematics date associated with the firstdriver. The remote server may include additional, less, or alternatefunctionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein and/or below.

Exemplary Smart Road-Side Infrastructure

In another aspect, a smart road-side infrastructure processor or serverconfigured to use telematics and/or other data from one driver tofacilitate safer vehicle travel for another driver may be provided. Thesmart road-side infrastructure processor or server may include (1) areceiver (or transceiver) configured to receive a data transmissionand/or wireless communication containing or including telematics data,the telematics data being generated and/or transmitted from a firstmobile device or first smart vehicle (associated with a first driver);(2) a database and/or memory unit storing vehicle navigationinformation, virtual road maps, and/or computer-readable instructions;(3) a processor configured to access the database and/or memory unit,wherein the processor is configured to automatically identify ordetermine (i) a travel (or traffic) event; (ii) a GPS or other locationof the travel event; and/or (iii) an estimated or actual geographicaland/or temporal scope of the travel event from computer analysis of thetelematics data, the processor further being configured to generate atravel event-related data transmission and/or wireless communicationassociated with, corresponding to, and/or detailing the travel event,and/or location and/or extent thereof; and/or (4) a transmitter (ortransceiver) configured to transmit the travel event-related datatransmission and/or wireless communication to a second mobile deviceand/or second smart vehicle (associated with a second driver of a secondvehicle) to facilitate the second mobile device and/or second smartvehicle taking corrective action to enable safer vehicle travel for thesecond driver based upon the telematics date associated with the firstdriver. The smart road-side infrastructure may include additional, less,or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere hereinand/or below.

Exemplary Intermediate Mobile Device/Smart Vehicle

In one aspect, an intermediate mobile device or smart vehicle configuredto use telematics and/or other data from one driver to facilitate safervehicle travel for another driver may be provided. The intermediatemobile device or smart vehicle may include (1) a receiver (ortransceiver) configured to receive a data transmission and/or wirelesscommunication containing or including telematics data, the telematicsdata being generated and/or transmitted from a first (or source) mobiledevice or first (or source) smart vehicle (associated with a firstdriver); (2) a database and/or memory unit storing vehicle navigationinformation, virtual road maps, and/or computer-readable instructions;(3) a processor configured to access the database and/or memory unit,wherein the processor is configured to automatically identify ordetermine (i) a travel (or traffic) event; (ii) a GPS or other locationof the travel event; and/or (iii) an estimated or actual geographicaland/or temporal scope of the travel event from computer analysis of thetelematics data, the processor further being configured to generate atravel event-related data transmission and/or wireless communicationassociated with, corresponding to, and/or detailing the travel event,and/or location and/or extent thereof; and/or (4) a transmitter (ortransceiver) configured to transmit the travel event-related datatransmission and/or wireless communication to a second (or destination)mobile device and/or second (or destination) smart vehicle (associatedwith a second driver of a second vehicle), such as via peer-to-peer(P2P) communication, to facilitate the second (or destination) mobiledevice and/or second (or destination) smart vehicle taking correctiveaction to enable safer vehicle travel for the second driver based uponthe telematics data associated with the first driver. The intermediatemobile device or smart vehicle may include additional, less, oralternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere hereinand/or directly below.

For instance, for the (a) remote server, (b) smart road-sideinfrastructure, and/or (c) intermediate mobile device or smart vehiclementioned above, the travel (or traffic) event may be based upon (and/ordetermined from telematics data that reveals) vehicle, traffic,congestion, road construction, and/or weather conditions. The telematicsdata may include speed, acceleration, deceleration, location, laneinformation, and/or other data of, or associated with, the first mobiledevice and/or first smart vehicle. The telematics data may include time,braking, acceleration, left turn, right turn, heading, GPS (GlobalPositioning System) speed, GPS latitude and longitude, gyroscope,battery level, and/or telephone usage information or data of, orassociated with, the first mobile device and/or first smart vehicle.

The preventive or corrective action taken may be: generating ordetermining an alert, at or via the second mobile device and/or secondsmart vehicle (or second smart vehicle controller); presenting a visualalert, at or via the second mobile device and/or second smart vehicle(or second smart vehicle controller), on a display or display screenassociated with the mobile device (and/or smart vehicle controller);and/or providing an audible alert, at or via the second mobile deviceand/or second smart vehicle. The alert may be presented only after thesecond mobile device (or second smart vehicle or vehicle controller)determines that the travel event is relevant to the second vehicle, suchas by determining that a location of the travel event is in the vicinityof the second vehicle and/or along a route that the second vehicle ispresently traveling.

The preventive or corrective action taken may be: generating,determining, and/or receiving an alternate travel route that avoids aGPS location of the travel (or traffic) event, at or via the secondmobile device and/or second smart vehicle (or vehicle controller);and/or presenting the alternative travel route, at or via the secondmobile device and/or second smart vehicle (or vehicle controller), on adisplay or display screen for use by the driver. Additionally oralternatively, the preventive or corrective action taken may be:generating, determining, and/or receiving an alternate travel route thatavoids a GPS location of the travel (or traffic) event, at or via thesecond mobile device and/or second smart vehicle (or vehiclecontroller); and/or automatically directing the second vehicle to takeor follow the alternative travel route, at or via the second mobiledevice and/or second smart vehicle (or vehicle controller), such as bydirecting an autonomous vehicle to take the alternate travel route.

The (a) remote server, (b) smart road-side infrastructure, and/or (c)intermediate mobile device or smart vehicle may be configured to: listenfor a telematics data-related wireless communication and/or datatransmission, and when the telematics data-related wirelesscommunication and/or data transmission is detected and/or within range,then (i) receive the telematics data-related wireless communicationand/or data transmission; (ii) store associated telematics data in amemory unit; and/or (iii) relay or otherwise re-transmit the telematicsdata and/or the telematics data-related wireless communication and/ordata transmission to other listening devices, such as other vehicles,mobile device, remote servers, and/or smart infrastructure.

Exemplary Source Mobile Device

In one aspect, a mobile device configured to collect and transmittelematics data (such as when the mobile device is traveling in a movingvehicle associated with a first driver) may be provided. The mobiledevice may include one or more sensors or meters configured forcollecting and/or gathering telematics data; a memory unit storingcomputer readable instructions; a transceiver (or a receiver andtransmitter); and a processor interconnected or in communication withthe one or more sensors or meters; the memory unit; and/or thetransceiver. The processor may be configured to: receive telematics datafrom the one or more sensors or meters; analyze the telematics data, anddetermine or identify that a travel or traffic event exists; generate amessage (e.g., a data transmission or wireless communication) associatedwith the telematics data and/or detailing the type and/or extent of thetravel or traffic event; and/or direct a transmission of the message viadata transmission and/or wireless communication to another computingdevice (such as another mobile device, another vehicle, a remote server,and/or smart infrastructure processors or servers) to facilitate safertravel for another vehicle and/or a second driver based upon thetelematics data collected by the first mobile device.

The travel (or traffic) event may be based upon (and/or determined fromtelematics data that reveals) vehicle, traffic, congestion, roadconstruction, and/or weather conditions. The telematics and/or otherdata may include speed, acceleration, deceleration, location, laneinformation, and/or other data of, or associated with, the first mobiledevice and/or first smart vehicle. The telematics and/or other data mayinclude time, braking, acceleration, left turn, right turn, heading, GPS(Global Positioning System) speed, GPS latitude and longitude,gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usage information or data of,or associated with, the mobile device and/or moving smart vehicle. Themobile device may include additional, less, or alternate functionality,including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Source Smart Vehicle (or Smart Vehicle Controller)

In one aspect, a smart vehicle (or vehicle controller) configured tocollect and transmit telematics and/or other data (such as when thesmart vehicle is traveling, the smart vehicle being associated with afirst driver) may be provided. The smart vehicle (or vehicle controller)may include: one or more sensors or meters configured for collectingand/or gathering telematics data; a memory unit storing computerreadable instructions; a transceiver (or a receiver and transmitter);and/or a processor interconnected or in communication with the one ormore sensors or meters; the memory unit; and/or the transceiver. Theprocessor may be configured to: receive telematics data from the one ormore sensors or meters; analyze the telematics data, and determine oridentify that a travel or traffic event exists; generate a message(e.g., a data transmission or wireless communication) associated withthe telematics data and/or detailing the type and/or extent of thetravel or traffic event; and/or direct a transmission of the message viadata transmission and/or wireless communication to another computingdevice (such as a mobile device, another vehicle, a remote server,and/or smart infrastructure processors or servers) to facilitate safertravel for another vehicle and/or a second driver based upon thetelematics data collected by the smart vehicle (and/or smart vehiclecontroller).

The travel (or traffic) event may be based upon (and/or determined fromtelematics data that reveals) vehicle, traffic, congestion, roadconstruction, and/or weather conditions. The telematics and/or otherdata may include speed, acceleration, deceleration, location, laneinformation, and/or other data of, or associated with, the smart vehicleand/or a mobile device of the driver. The telematics and/or other dataincludes time, braking, acceleration, left turn, right turn, heading,GPS (Global Positioning System) speed, GPS latitude and longitude,gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usage information or data of,or associated with, the smart vehicle. The smart vehicle (or vehiclecontroller) may include additional, less, or alternate functionality,including that discussed elsewhere herein, and/or discussed with mobiledevices, remote servers, and/or smart infrastructure.

Exemplary Destination Mobile Device

In one aspect, a mobile device configured to receive telematics and/orother data (such as when the mobile device is traveling in a movingvehicle associated with a first driver) and take corrective action whena travel event exists may be provided. The mobile device may include: amemory unit storing computer readable instructions; a transceiver (or areceiver and transmitter); and/or a processor interconnected or incommunication with the memory unit, and/or the transceiver. Theprocessor and/or transceiver may be configured to: receive telematicsdata generated from an originating vehicle (or mobile device travelingwithin the originating vehicle) or a telematics-related message via adata transmission and/or wireless communication; (i) analyze thetelematics data, and determine or identify that a travel (or traffic)event exists (that is associated with the originating vehicle) or (ii)otherwise determine that the travel event exists from analysis of thetelematics-related message; and/or when the travel event is determinedto exist, determine whether the travel event is relevant to the movingvehicle and/or a route that the moving vehicle is presently traveling,and if so, take or direct corrective action such that safer vehicletravel for the moving vehicle is facilitated based upon (a) thetelematics data that is collected by the originating vehicle and/or (b)information regarding the travel event that the originating vehicle hasencountered or is presently encountering.

The travel (or traffic) event may be based upon (and/or determined fromthe telematics data that reveals) vehicle, traffic, congestion, roadconstruction, and/or weather conditions. The telematics and/or otherdata may include speed, acceleration, deceleration, location, laneinformation, and/or other data of, or associated with, the originatingvehicle or a mobile device traveling within the originating vehicle. Thetelematics and/or other data includes time, braking, acceleration, leftturn, right turn, heading, GPS (Global Positioning System) speed, GPSlatitude and longitude, gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usageinformation or data of, or associated with, the originating vehicle or amobile device traveling within the originating vehicle. The correctiveaction may include (i) generating, displaying, and/or providing an alertfor the driver of the moving vehicle; and/or (ii) re-routing the movingvehicle to avoid an area associated with the travel event. The mobiledevice may include additional, less, or alternate functionality,including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Destination Smart Vehicle

In one aspect, a smart vehicle (or smart vehicle controller) configuredto receive telematics and/or other data (such as when the smart vehicleis traveling, the smart vehicle being associated with a first driver)and take corrective action when a travel event exists may be provided.The smart vehicle (or smart vehicle controller) may include a memoryunit storing computer readable instructions, vehicle navigationinformation, and/or virtual road maps; a transceiver (or a receiver andtransmitter); and/or a processor interconnected or in communication withthe memory unit, and/or the transceiver. The processor and/ortransceiver may be configured to: receive telematics data generated froman originating vehicle (or mobile device traveling within theoriginating vehicle) or a telematics-related message via a datatransmission and/or wireless communication; (i) analyze the telematicsdata, and determine or identify that a travel (or traffic) event exists(that is associated with the originating vehicle) or (ii) otherwisedetermine that the travel event exists from analysis of thetelematics-related message; and/or when the travel event is determinedto exist, determine whether the travel event is relevant to the movingvehicle and/or a route that the moving vehicle is presently traveling(such as by comparing a GPS or other location of the travel event and apresent GPS or other location of the smart vehicle), and if so, take ordirect corrective action such that safer vehicle travel for the smartvehicle is facilitated based upon (a) the telematics data that iscollected by the originating vehicle and/or (b) information regardingthe travel event that the originating vehicle has encountered or ispresently encountering.

The travel (or traffic) event may be based upon (and/or determined fromthe telematics data that reveals) vehicle, traffic, congestion, roadconstruction, and/or weather conditions. The telematics data may includespeed, acceleration, deceleration, location, lane information, and/orother data of, or associated with, the originating vehicle or a mobiledevice traveling within the originating vehicle. The telematics data mayinclude time, braking, acceleration, left turn, right turn, heading, GPS(Global Positioning System) speed, GPS latitude and longitude,gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usage information or data of,or associated with, the originating vehicle or a mobile device travelingwithin the originating vehicle. The corrective action may include (i)generating, providing, and/or displaying an alert (such as either anaudible or visual alert or recommendation) for the driver of the movingvehicle; (ii) calculating another route to a destination that avoids thetravel event and/or displaying that route; (iii) receiving an alternateroute that avoids the travel event; and/or (iv) re-routing the movingvehicle to avoid an area associated with the travel event. The smartvehicle (or vehicle controller) may include additional, less, oralternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein,and/or discussed with mobile devices, remote servers, and/or smartinfrastructure.

Insurance Applications

As noted herein, the present embodiments may be used to adjust, update,and/or generate insurance policies. Insurance policies, such as auto,usage-based, home, and/or household insurance policies, may be adjusted,updated, and/or generated for insureds or potential customers that havemobile devices and/or vehicles that are equipped or configured with oneor more of the functionalities discussed herein.

For instance, insureds or family members may have mobile devices and/orvehicles that are configured to receive telematics data associated withother vehicles and/or abnormal road or travel conditions that otherdrivers are experiencing. The telematics may be received directly fromother vehicles, or indirectly from smart infrastructure and/or insuranceprovider remote servers. As a result, the insureds and/or their familymembers may be timely notified of traffic or travel events and then maytake alternate routes (or even not drive or delay driving) to lowertheir risk of getting in an accident due to the traffic or travelevents. An insurance provider may promote or reward such risk-aversebehavior and/or safer driving with lower insurance premiums, rates,and/or increased discounts, such as for usage-based or other types ofauto insurance.

Furthermore, an insurance provider may promote or reward the use of oneor more aspects described herein with lower insurance premiums, rates,and/or increased discounts. For example, an insurer may providediscounts or other incentives upon an insured customer installing anapplication to their mobile computing device that enables the mobilecomputing device to broadcast telematics data and/or to generate alertnotifications based upon telematics data received from other devices.

Additionally or alternatively, an insurer may provide discounts or otherincentives upon an amount that an insured customer uses the telematicsapplication on their mobile computing device that enables the mobilecomputing device to broadcast telematics data and/or to generate alertnotifications based upon telematics data received from other devices.Such usage-based discounts or incentives may be based upon amount oftime of, or number of miles of, use or usage, e.g., an amount of time ormiles that the insured drove during a specific period with a TelematicsApp running or executing on their mobile device (which was locatedwithin the insured vehicle as it travels), the Telematics App configuredto collect and broadcast telematics data, and/or to receive telematicsdata from other vehicles or devices, and generate alerts orrecommendations based upon the data received.

Originating Mobile Device Generating the Telematics Data

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of generating andbroadcasting telematics data may be provided. The method may include (1)generating or collecting telematics data at, or by, a originating orsource mobile device associated with a driver (or an associatedprocessor), the originating mobile device: (i) having a TelematicsApplication (or “App”) installed or stored locally in a non-transitorycomputer-readable memory unit, and (ii) is associated with a seconddriver, the telematics data including acceleration, braking, speed,heading, and location data associated with the operation of anoriginating vehicle. The method may include (2) generating, at or by theoriginating mobile device (or associated processor) or the TelematicsApp, an updated telematics data broadcast (or wireless communication)including up-to-date telematics data at least every few seconds; and/or(3) broadcasting, at or by the origination mobile device (or anassociated transceiver) or the Telematics App. The updated telematicsdata may be broadcast at least every few seconds via wirelesscommunication and/or data transmission (or otherwise via a secureelectronic communication network requiring login credential electronicverification) to other computing devices (e.g., nearby vehicles, mobiledevices, smart infrastructure, or remote servers) to facilitate theother computing devices (i) determining that an abnormal travelcondition (or traffic event) exists from the analysis of the telematicsdata received from the originating mobile device having the TelematicsApp, and (ii) when the abnormal travel condition (or traffic event)exists, automatically taking a preventive or corrective action, such asat or via a destination mobile device or smart vehicle controller (or anassociated processor), that alleviates a negative impact of the abnormaltravel condition (or traffic event) on the driver and/or the destinationvehicle. As a result, safer and/or more efficient vehicle travel may beachieved.

The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, includingthose discussed elsewhere herein, and/or may be implemented by one ormore processors, and/or via computer-executable instructions stored onnon-transitory computer-readable medium or media. For instance, theTelematics App, and/or the telematics data generated by the TelematicsApp on the originating mobile device, may indicate that the originatingvehicle is experiencing high traffic conditions, congestion, roadconstruction, or extreme weather conditions, such as from analysis ofthe telematics data. The telematics data may include speed,acceleration, deceleration, GPS location, lane information, and/or otherdata of, or associated with, the originating vehicle. Additionally oralternatively, the telematics data may include time, braking,acceleration, left turn, right turn, heading, GPS (Global PositioningSystem) speed, GPS latitude and longitude, gyroscope, battery level,and/or telephone usage information or data of, or associated with, theoriginating vehicle.

The preventive or corrective action taken by the destination mobiledevice or vehicle may be: (1) generating or determining an alert, at orvia the destination mobile device or smart vehicle controller (or anassociated processor); (2) presenting a visual alert, at or via adestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller, on a display ordisplay screen associated with the destination mobile device or smartvehicle controller, respectively; and/or (3) providing an audio oraudible alert, at or via a destination mobile device or smart vehiclecontroller (or an associated processor). Additionally or alternatively,the preventive or corrective action taken may be: (i) generating,determining, and/or receiving an alternate travel route that avoids aGPS location of the travel or traffic event, at or via a destinationmobile device or smart vehicle controller; (ii) presenting thealternative travel route, at or via the destination mobile device orsmart vehicle controller, on a display or display screen for use by thedriver; and/or (iii) providing audio driving directions for thedestination vehicle or driver to travel along the alternate route.

The telematics data may be generated and/or collected by the originatingmobile device (and/or the Telematics App executing thereon). Thetelematics data may be (1) transmitted from a transceiver mounted on, orwithin, the originating mobile device indirectly or directly to adestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller via peer-to-peer(P2P) wireless communication and/or data transmission, or via a secureelectronic communication network; (2) transmitted from the originatingmobile device directly (or indirectly) to a remote server (such as aninsurance provider remote server), and then relayed or transmitted fromthe remote server to a destination mobile device or smart vehiclecontroller via wireless communication and/or data transmission; and/or(3) transmitted from the originating mobile device directly (orindirectly) to smart infrastructure (such as a smart stop sign, smartstreet sign, smart toll both, and/or smart road-side equipment, markers,or reflectors), and then relayed or transmitted from the smartinfrastructure to a destination mobile device or smart vehiclecontroller via wireless communication or data transmission. Thetelematics data may be transmitted over a secure electronic or wirelesscommunication network.

The computer-implemented method may also include, with customerpermission or affirmative consent, (i) determining or identifying, byone or more processors associated with an insurance provider remoteserver, an insured customer having a mobile device configured with thetelematics data-based risk mitigation or prevention functionalitydiscussed herein and/or the Telematics App; (ii) monitoring, by the oneor more processors associated with the remote server, a time amountand/or mileage amount that the insured customer drives an insuredvehicle with the telematics data-based risk mitigation or preventionfunctionality discussed herein, or the Telematics App, enabled and/orexecuting on their mobile device; and/or (iii) adjusting or modifying,by the one or more processors associated with the remote server, aninsurance policy, premium, or discount for the insured customer basedupon their usage and/or amount that they use or employ the telematicsdata-based risk mitigation or prevention functionality and/or TelematicsApp, such as generating a usage-based discount that is tied to an amountthat the telematics data-based risk mitigation or preventionfunctionality (including generating, collecting, and/or broadcasting(and/or even receiving) telematics data as discussed herein, and/orgenerating appropriate alerts or recommendations from the telematicsdata) is used or otherwise employed.

In another aspect, a source or originating mobile device configured tocollect, generate, and/or transmit telematics data (such as when themobile device is traveling in a moving vehicle associated with a driver)may be provided. The mobile device may include (1) one or more sensorsor meters configured for collecting and/or gathering telematics data;(2) a memory unit storing computer readable instructions; (3) atransceiver (or a receiver and transmitter); and/or (4) one or moreprocessors interconnected or in communication with the one or moresensors or meters; the memory unit; and/or the transceiver. The one ormore processors may execute a Telematics Application (“App”) or may beotherwise configured to: (i) receive telematics data from the one ormore sensors or meters, the telematics data including acceleration,braking, gyroscope, compass heading, turning, speed, and/orlocation-related data; (ii) generate an updated broadcast (or wirelesscommunication) incorporating the telematics data at least every coupleof seconds; and/or (iii) direct a transmission of the updated broadcastas often as the broadcast is updated (e.g., every 1-3 seconds) via amobile device transceiver using data transmission or wirelesscommunication to another computing (or destination) device (such as anearby vehicle, mobile device, remote server, and/or smartinfrastructure processors or servers). As a result, safer travel may befacilitated for another vehicle and/or a second driver based uponcomputer analysis (at or via the destination device) of the telematicsdata contained within the updated broadcast and collected or generatedby the originating mobile device. The mobile device may includeadditional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein.

The one or more processors and/or Telematics App executing thereon maybe further configured to: analyze the telematics data, and determine oridentify that a travel or traffic event exists; generate a message(e.g., a data transmission or wireless communication) associated withthe telematics data and/or detailing the type or extent of the travel ortraffic event; and/or broadcast the message along with the updatedbroadcast to other computing devices in the vicinity or otherwise withinbroadcast range. The travel (or traffic) event may be based upon (and/ordetermined from telematics data that reveals) that the originatingvehicle is experiencing abnormal vehicle, traffic, congestion, roadconstruction, and/or weather conditions.

The telematics data may further include time, braking, acceleration,left turn, right turn, heading, GPS (Global Positioning System) speed,GPS latitude and longitude, gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephoneusage information or data of, or associated with, the mobile deviceand/or moving smart vehicle. The Telematics App further may direct theoriginating mobile device to periodically “listen” for a broadcastcontaining telematics data generated from other vehicles or other mobiledevices, or use polling techniques to download data or broadcasts fromother computing devices, and when such a broadcast is detected oravailable, download the broadcast and analyze the telematics datacontained therein. The Telematics App may further direct the originatingmobile device to generate an alert when processor analysis of thetelematics data received within a broadcast indicates that a traffic ortravel event exists along a route that the originating vehicle ispresently traveling, such as a route stored in a vehicle navigationunit.

In another aspect, an originating mobile device configured fortelematics data collection, generation, and/or transmission may beprovided. The originating mobile device may include one or moreprocessors and/or a Telematics Application (“App”) executing therein.The one or more processors and/or Telematics App may be configured to:(1) collect or generate telematics data as a vehicle is traveling, thetelematics data including acceleration, braking, gyroscope, compassheading, turning, speed, and/or location-related data; (2) generate abroadcast (or wireless communication or date transmission message) thatincorporates the telematics data collected at least once every fewseconds (i.e., approximately constantly or otherwise periodically);and/or (3) direct the transmission of each updated broadcast at leastonce every few (e.g., 2-3) seconds via a transceiver using wirelesscommunication or data transmission to nearby vehicles, mobile devices,and roadside infrastructure (destination devices) to facilitate safervehicle travel for other vehicles via computer analysis (at thedestination devices) of the telematics data of the traveling vehiclecollected and transmitted by the mobile device to other nearby computingdevices. The originating mobile device may include additional, less, oralternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the travel (or traffic) event is based upon (and/ordetermined from telematics data that reveals or indicates) that theoriginating vehicle is, or may be, experiencing abnormal vehicle,traffic, congestion, road construction, and/or weather conditions. Thetelematics data may further include time, braking, acceleration, leftturn, right turn, heading, GPS (Global Positioning System) speed, GPSlatitude and longitude, gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephone usageinformation or data of, or associated with, the mobile device and/ormoving smart vehicle.

The Telematics App may direct the originating mobile device toperiodically listen for a broadcast containing telematics data generatedfrom other vehicles or other mobile devices, and when such a broadcastis detected, download the broadcast and analyze the telematics datacontained therein. The Telematics App may further direct the originatingmobile device to generate an alert when processor analysis of thetelematics data received within a broadcast indicates that a traffic ortravel event exists along a route that the originating vehicle ispresently traveling.

Destination Device Receiving the Telematics Data

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of using telematics datamay be provided. The method may include: (a) receiving telematics data,at or by (1) a destination mobile device associated with a driver (or anassociated transceiver of the destination mobile device), or (2) a smartvehicle controller (or an associated transceiver) of a destinationvehicle associated with the driver, via wireless communication and/ordata transmission (or otherwise via a secure electronic communicationnetwork requiring login credential electronic verification), thetelematics data being generated by an originating mobile device. Theoriginating mobile device: (i) having a Telematics Application (or“App”) installed or stored locally in a non-transitory computer-readablememory unit, and/or (ii) is associated with the driver, the telematicsdata including acceleration, braking, speed, heading, and location dataassociated with the operation of an originating vehicle. The method mayalso include (b) analyzing the telematics data, at or via thedestination mobile device or the smart vehicle controller (or aprocessor associated therewith); (c) determining, at or via thedestination mobile device or the smart vehicle controller (or anassociated processor), that an abnormal travel condition (or trafficevent) exists from the analysis of the telematics data received from theoriginating mobile device having the Telematics App; and/or (d) when theabnormal travel condition (or traffic event) exists, automaticallytaking or generating a preventive or corrective action, at or via thedestination mobile device or the smart vehicle controller (or anassociated processor), that alleviates a negative impact of the abnormaltravel condition (or traffic event) on the driver and/or the destinationvehicle to facilitate safer and/or more efficient vehicle travel. Themethod may include additional, less, or alternate functionality,including that discussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the abnormal condition may be based upon, or otherwisedetermined from processor analysis of the telematics data received fromthe originating mobile device having the Telematics App, and thatreveals that the originating vehicle is, or may likely be, experiencinghigh traffic conditions, congestion, road construction, or extremeweather conditions. The telematics data may (1) be generated and/orcollected by the originating mobile device (or an associated processor)associated with an originating driver, and (2) include speed,acceleration, deceleration, GPS location, lane information, and/or otherdata of, or associated with, the originating vehicle. Additionally oralternatively, the telematics data may (1) be generated and/or collectedby the originating mobile device (or an associated processor) associatedwith an originating driver, and (2) include time, braking, acceleration,left turn, right turn, heading, GPS (Global Positioning System) speed,GPS latitude and longitude, gyroscope, battery level, and/or telephoneusage information or data of, or associated with, the originatingvehicle.

The preventive or corrective action taken may be: (i) generating ordetermining an alert, at or via the destination mobile device or smartvehicle controller (or an associated processor); (ii) presenting avisual alert, at or via the destination mobile device or smart vehiclecontroller, on a display or display screen associated with thedestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller, respectively;and/or (iii) providing an audio or audible alert, at or via thedestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller (or an associatedprocessor). The alert may be presented or provided only after thedestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller determines thatthe abnormal travel condition (or traffic event) is relevant to thedestination vehicle, such as by determining that a location of theabnormal travel condition (or traffic event) is in the vicinity of thedestination vehicle and/or along a route that the destination vehicle ispresently traveling.

The preventive or corrective action taken may be: (a) generating,determining, and/or receiving an alternate travel route that avoids aGPS location of the travel or traffic event, at or via the destinationmobile device or smart vehicle controller; and/or (b) presenting thealternative travel route, at or via the destination mobile device orsmart vehicle controller, on a display or display screen for use by thedriver; and/or providing audio driving directions for the destinationvehicle to travel along the alternate route. Additionally oralternatively, the preventive or corrective action taken may be: (c)generating, determining, and/or receiving an alternate travel route thatavoids a GPS location of the travel or traffic event, at or via thedestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller; and/or (d)automatically directing the destination vehicle to take or follow thealternative travel route, at or via the destination mobile device orsmart vehicle controller, wherein the destination vehicle is anautonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle that drives itself (via one ormore processors) along the alternate travel route.

The telematics data may be (1) generated and/or collected by theoriginating mobile device (or the Telematics App executing thereon), and(2) transmitted from a transceiver mounted on, or within, theoriginating mobile device indirectly or directly to destination mobiledevice or smart vehicle controller via peer-to-peer (P2P) wirelesscommunication and/or data transmission, or via a secure electroniccommunication network, the telematics data being repeatedly broadcastfrom the transceiver mounted on, or within, the originating mobiledevice at least every few seconds. Additionally or alternatively, thetelematics data may be (3) transmitted from the originating mobiledevice directly to a remote server (such as an insurance provider remoteserver), and then relayed or transmitted from the remote server to thedestination mobile device or smart vehicle controller via wirelesscommunication and/or data transmission; and/or (4) transmitted from theoriginating mobile device directly to smart infrastructure (such as asmart stop sign, smart street sign, smart toll both, and/or smartroad-side equipment, markers, or reflectors), and then relayed ortransmitted from the smart infrastructure to the destination mobiledevice or smart vehicle controller via wireless communication or datatransmission. The telematics data may be repeatedly broadcast from thetransceiver mounted on, or within, the originating mobile device atleast every few seconds, such as when it has new data to transmit, orwhen driving conditions have changed.

The method may also include, with customer permission or affirmativeconsent, (i) determining or identifying, by one or more processorsassociated with an insurance provider remote server, an insured customerhaving a mobile device configured with the telematics data-based riskmitigation or prevention functionality discussed herein and/or theTelematics App (or is otherwise capability of receiving and thenanalyzing the telematics data as explained herein); (ii) monitoring, bythe one or more processors associated with the remote server, a timeamount and/or mileage amount that the insured customer drives an insuredvehicle with the risk mitigation or prevention functionality discussedherein, or the Telematics App, enabled and/or executing on their mobiledevice; and/or (iii) adjusting or modifying, by the one or moreprocessors associated with the remote server, an insurance policy,premium, or discount for the insured customer based upon their usageand/or amount that they use, or employ, the risk mitigation orprevention functionality and/or Telematics App, such as generating ausage-based discount that is tied to an amount that the risk mitigationor prevention functionality (including the capability of receiving andanalyzing the telematics data as discussed herein, and/or generatingappropriate alerts or recommendations) is used.

In another aspect, a destination computer system configured to usetelematics data may be provided. The destination computer system mayinclude: (1) a destination mobile device associated with a driver (or anassociated processor and/or transceiver of the destination mobiledevice), or (2) a smart vehicle controller (or an associated processorand/or transceiver) of a destination vehicle associated with the driverconfigured to: (a) receive telematics data, via wireless communicationand/or data transmission (or otherwise via a secure electroniccommunication network requiring login credential electronicverification), the telematics data being generated by an originatingmobile device and the originating mobile device: (i) having a TelematicsApplication (or “App”) installed or stored locally in a non-transitorycomputer-readable memory unit, and (ii) is associated with a seconddriver, the telematics data including acceleration, braking, speed,heading, and location data associated with the operation of anoriginating vehicle; (b) analyze the telematics data; (c) determine thatan abnormal travel condition (or traffic event) exists from the analysisof the telematics data received from the originating mobile devicehaving the Telematics App; (d) determine that the abnormal travelcondition (or traffic event) is along a route that the destinationvehicle is currently traveling or ahead of a direction of travel of thedestination vehicle; and/or (e) when the abnormal travel condition (ortraffic event) exists and is along the route (or otherwise ahead) of thedestination vehicle, automatically take or generate a preventive orcorrective action that alleviates a negative impact of the abnormaltravel condition (or traffic event) on the driver and/or the destinationvehicle to facilitate safer and/or more efficient vehicle travel. Thedestination computer system may include additional, less, or alternatefunctionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Smart Control Systems

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary smart vehicle controlsystem 500 in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure. In one aspect, smart vehicle control system 500 may beimplemented as any suitable computing device, such as a computing devicethat is integrated as part of a smart vehicle to facilitate autonomousdriving and/or other smart driving functions. For example, smart vehiclecontrol system may be integrated as part of one or more vehicles202.1-202.N, as shown in FIG. 2, to provide such vehicles with suchfunctions. Smart driving functions may include, for example, thegeneration, receipt, collection, storage, and/or transmission oftelematics data and/or other suitable data, such as previously discussedabove with reference to on board computer 114, as shown in FIG. 1. Othersuitable data may include other data discussed herein, such as, forexample, geographic location data and/or image, audio, and/or video dataas discussed herein.

Smart vehicle control system 500 may include a sensor array 526, acommunication unit 530, a smart vehicle controller 540, one or morevehicle sensors 545, and/or a driving control system 550, one or more ofwhich may be configured to communicate with one another to receive datafrom, and send data to, one another. Smart vehicle control system 500may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including thatdiscussed elsewhere herein, and/or discussed with reference to computingdevices (e.g., mobile computing devices), remote servers, externalcomputing devices, and/or smart infrastructure.

In one aspect, sensor array 526, communication unit 530, and smartvehicle controller 540 may have a similar architecture, implementation,and/or perform similar functions as sensor array 326, communication unit330, and controller 340, respectively, as previously discussed abovewith reference to FIG. 3. Therefore, only differences between sensorarray 526, communication unit 530, and smart vehicle controller 540, asshown in FIG. 5, and sensor array 326, communication unit 330, andcontroller 340, as shown in FIG. 3, will be further discussed herein.

For instance, it will be appreciated that some differences betweensensor array 526, communication unit 530, and smart vehicle controller540, as shown in FIG. 5, and sensor array 326, communication unit 330,and controller 340, as shown in FIG. 3, respectively, may be due todifferences between applications and design requirements of computingdevices and vehicles. For example, smart vehicle controller 540 mayinclude one or more microprocessors, program memory, RAM, I/Ointerfaces, etc. However, smart vehicle controller 540 may includefaster microprocessors, additional memory, faster memory controllers,etc., than that of controller 340 to account for the additionalprocessing and speed requirements associated with the higher processingfunctions of vehicles, particularly smart vehicles. To provide anotherexample, smart vehicle controller 540 may include one or more processorsspecifically designed for adaptive vision processing at high speedsand/or utilizing parallel processing techniques to facilitate autonomousor semi-autonomous driving.

Likewise, sensor array 526 may have additional or alternative sensors,meters, and/or other suitable devices as compared to sensor array 326.Sensor array 526 may additionally or alternatively include any suitablenumber and/or type of sensors, meters, and/or other suitable devices tofacilitate autonomous or semi-autonomous driving. Examples of sensorsincluded in sensor array 526 may include, for example, radar systemsconfigured to operate at any suitable number or range of wavelengths(e.g., millimeter-wavelengths), Lidar, ultrasonic sensors, etc.

Vehicle sensors 545 may include, for example, any suitable number and/ortype of sensors, meters, and/or other suitable devices integrated aspart of the vehicle in which smart vehicle control system 500 isinstalled or otherwise implemented. For example, vehicle sensors 545 maygenerate one or more sensor metrics or other data that is part of thetelematics data and/or other data (e.g., geographic location data and/orimage, audio, and/or video data) that is stored, collected, and/orbroadcasted from smart vehicle control system 500 (e.g., viacommunication unit 530).

In some aspects, vehicle sensors 545 may sample sensor metrics or otherinformation that is included as part of the telematics data and/or otherdata, as discussed elsewhere herein, while sensor array 526 may beimplemented as one or more sensors associated with autonomous drivingfunctions. Thus, in aspects in which smart vehicle control system 500 isimplemented as part of a non-autonomous vehicle, vehicle sensors 545 andsensor array 526 may be implemented as a single sensor array.

Communication unit 530 may be configured to transmit telematics data(and/or other suitable data as discussed herein) including one or moresensor metrics or other information generated by vehicle sensors 545and/or sensor array 526, which may be received by other computingdevices (e.g., mobile computing devices), other smart vehicles, smartinfrastructure, and/or external computing devices, as discussedelsewhere herein. Additionally or alternatively, communication unit 530may be configured to receive telematics data (and/or other suitabledata) from other computing devices (e.g., mobile computing devices),other smart vehicles, smart infrastructure, and/or external computingdevices, as discussed elsewhere herein.

When transmitting telematics data and/or other data discussed herein,smart vehicle controller 540 may be configured to format the sensormetrics and/or other information generated, collected, and/or measuredby vehicle sensors 545 and/or sensor array 526 into a data broadcast,determine whether the telematics data and/or other data should beupdated, and/or broadcast the telematics data and/or other data.Additionally or alternatively, smart vehicle controller 540 may beconfigured to analyze the telematics data and/or other data to identifyone or more anomalous conditions (e.g. travel events, traffic events),and/or alerts, to generate one or more messages associated with thetelematics data (and/or other data) and/or detailing the type and/orextent of an identified anomaly and/or alert, etc.

Furthermore, smart vehicle controller 540 may be configured to broadcastor otherwise direct a transmission of the message via data transmissionand/or wireless communication (e.g., via communication unit 530) toanother computing device (such as a mobile computing device, anothervehicle, a remote server, smart infrastructure, etc.). As furtherdiscussed herein, devices receiving the message and/or the telematicsdata and/or other data may utilize such received information to performvarious functions, issue alerts to drivers, etc. In this way, themessages, telematics data, and/or other data transmitted by smartvehicle control system 500 may facilitate safer travel for anothervehicle and/or another driver.

Similar to the other devices described above (e.g., mobile computingdevice 300), when receiving data, smart vehicle controller 540 may beconfigured to perform various functions such as issuing alerts todrivers when the data contains a warning message and/or identifying ananomalous condition by analyzing the received data.

Driving control system 550 may be implemented with any suitable numberand/or type of driving controllers to control the direction, movement,and/or speed of the vehicle in which smart vehicle control system 500 isinstalled. For example, driving control system 550 may include variousdrive-by-wire interfaces to facilitate controlling the speed of thevehicle and to turn the vehicle without user input. To provide anadditional example, driving control system may include various brakingcontrollers and/or transmission controllers to slow the vehicle and toshift the vehicle into different gears.

In accordance with one aspect, smart vehicle controller 540 maycommunicate with one or more components of driving control system 550 inresponse to telematics data, other data, and/or messages received viacommunication unit 530. For example, if the telematics data and/or otherdata indicates a road hazard at a certain location and/or in a certainroad lane, then smart vehicle controller 540 may issue one or morecommands to driving control system 550 to steer the vehicle into a clearlane, thus avoiding the road hazard.

Driving control system 550 may include different types of feedbackcomponents and/or control systems based upon the type of vehicle inwhich smart vehicle control system 500 is implemented or installed. Forexample, driving control system 550 may include various interfacesand/or control systems to facilitate autonomous driving in conjunctionwith smart vehicle controller 540. But if smart vehicle control system500 is implemented in a non-autonomous vehicle, driving control system550 may work in conjunction with smart vehicle controller 540 to receiveone or more signals and/or data associated with traditional drivingfunctions (e.g., manual acceleration, steering, braking, etc.).

Regardless of the type of vehicle in which smart vehicle control system500 is implemented, smart vehicle controller 540 may work in conjunctionwith driving control system 550 to support any suitable number and/ortypes of driver feedback. To provide this feedback, driving controlsystem 550 may include any suitable number and/or types of displays,user interfaces, speakers, buzzers, etc.

For example, driving control system 550 may include various feedbackcomponents to provide visual and/or auditory feedback regarding theoperation of the vehicle and/or information regarding anomalousconditions, alerts, warnings, recommendations, etc., which may be basedupon an analysis of telematics data and/or other suitable data discussedherein. Again, the telematics data and/or other suitable data may bereceived from another computing device (e.g., via communication unit530) and/or generated and analyzed locally at smart vehicle controlsystem 500.

To provide another example, smart vehicle controller 540 may include oneor more memory units configured to store cartographic and/or map data.In response to user input received via a user interface implemented bydriving control system 550, smart vehicle controller 540 may generate,calculate, and/or display travel routes, which may provide navigationalguidance to a driver. Furthermore, smart vehicle controller 540 mayperform functions associated with the determination of whether anidentified anomaly (e.g., a traffic event, travel event, abnormalcondition, etc.), which has been determined from an analysis of receivedtelematics data and/or other data (such as other data discussed herein)from another device, is relevant to the vehicle in which smart vehiclecontrol system 500 is implemented.

This determination of relevance may be made, for example, by comparing alocation (e.g., geographic coordinates included in a telematics datatransmission) to the current location of the vehicle in which smartvehicle control system 500 is implemented to determine whether thelocations are within a threshold distance of one another. Thedetermination may also be made, for example, when the identified anomalyor other abnormal condition is or will be located along a current travelroute (e.g., ahead by some threshold distance in a direction of travelon the same road on which the vehicle is moving). If so, aspects includesmart vehicle controller 540 automatically performing variouspreventative and/or corrective actions based upon how the relevance ofthe identified anomaly is determined. For example, smart vehiclecontroller 540 may issue a visual and/or audible alert via drivingcontrol system 550, calculate and display a new travel route via drivingcontrol system 550 that avoids the location of the identified event,etc.

In some aspects, the preventative and/or corrective actions may beissued only when it is determined that an identified anomaly isrelevant, and is otherwise not issued. For example, aspects include anidentified anomaly that is not along a current route for the vehicle inwhich smart vehicle control system 500 is implemented not causing analarm to be sounded and/or the route to be adjusted, even if thelocation of the anomaly is otherwise nearby. In this way, the preventiveor corrective action may alleviate or avoid a negative impact of theabnormal travel condition on the driver and/or the vehicle in whichsmart vehicle control system 500 is implemented to facilitate safer ormore efficient vehicle travel. Additional details of the preventive orcorrective action that may be facilitated by smart vehicle controlsystem 500 (or another suitable computing device or system) are furtherdiscussed below with reference to FIG. 6.

Exemplary Data Generation Via Cradled Mobile Device

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary method 600 of facilitating safer vehicletravel. For instance, as described below, safer vehicle travel may befacilitated by broadcasting information related to hazards impactingvehicle travel. In the present aspect, the method 600 may be implementedby any suitable computing device (e.g., mobile computing devices 204.1and/or 204.2, external computing device 206, vehicles 202.1 and/or202.2, and/or infrastructure component 208, as shown in FIG. 2). In oneaspect, the method 600 may be performed by one or more processors,applications, and/or routines, such as any suitable portion ofcontroller 340, software applications 344, and/or software routines 352,for example, as shown in FIG. 3.

The method 600 may include determining whether a device, such as amobile device (e.g., computing device 300 implemented as mobilecomputing device 204.1) is mounted in a vehicle (block 602). Forexample, as discussed above, mobile computing device 204.1 may utilizeone or more sensors (e.g., an accelerometer that is part of sensor array326) to determine whether mobile computing device 204.1 has changedorientation to horizontal, as is common when docked in a vehicle (block602). In this manner, it may be determined whether, for example, mobilecomputing device 204.1 is mounted in vehicle dashboard cradle 210mounted on a dashboard of vehicle 202.1 (block 602).

If it is determined that the mobile computing device is not mounted inthe vehicle, the method may remain at this determination until themobile computing device is determined to be mounted in the vehicle. Ifit is determined that the mobile computing device is mounted in thevehicle, method 600 may continue (block 604).

The method 600 may include collecting image, audio, and/or video dataassociated with the vehicle (block 604). For instance, a camera and/orspeaker/microphone of a mobile computing device (e.g., camera 212 andspeaker/microphone 322, when computing device 300 is implemented asmobile computing device 204.1) may collect image and/or video data(e.g., one or more images) forward of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle 202.1),and may collect audio data in a vicinity of the vehicle (block 604).Mobile computing device 204.1 may be positioned so that camera 212 ispositioned to take images forward of vehicle 202.1, as shown in theexample of FIG. 2 (block 604). In another aspect, camera 212 and/orspeaker/microphone 322 may additionally or alternatively collect imagedata forward of and/or in a vicinity of the vehicle, audio data forwardof and/or in a vicinity of the vehicle, and/or video data forward ofand/or in a vicinity of the vehicle (block 604). Thus, the image, audio,and/or video data may be data of things (e.g., vehicles, animals,pedestrians, etc.) located in front of, behind, outside of, around,etc., the vehicle (block 604). In yet another aspect, camera 212 and/orspeaker/microphone 322 may additionally or alternatively collect imagedata associated with an interior and/or an exterior of the vehicle,audio data associated with the interior and/or the exterior of thevehicle, and/or video data associated with the interior and/or theexterior of the vehicle (block 604). Moreover, in some aspects, theimage, audio, and/or video data may be or may include digital data(block 604).

The “collection” or “collecting” of image, audio, and/or video data asdescribed herein may also be referred to herein as “capturing” suchimage, audio, and/or video data (block 604). In various aspects, themobile computing device may capture image, audio, and/or video data atany suitable sampling rate (e.g., once every second, 5 times per second,etc.) and store this data to any suitable portion of the mobilecomputing device (e.g., data storage 360) (block 604). For instance, themobile computing device may capture single images based upon aparticular sampling rate, one or more frames of video captured while thevehicle is moving, etc. (block 604). In some aspects, thecollecting/capturing of image, audio, and/or video data may not beperformed while the vehicle is not moving, and/or may not be performedwhile the vehicle is not started (block 604). Furthermore, thecollecting/capturing of image, audio, and/or video data may additionallyor alternatively be performed via one or more mobile device processorsof the mobile device (e.g., mobile computing device 204.1) that ismounted within the vehicle dashboard cradle (e.g., vehicle dashboardcradle 210) (block 604).

Still further, in some aspects, the collection/capturing of the image,audio, and/or video data may be triggered by any suitable condition ornumber of conditions (block 604). Thus, in some aspects, thedetermination described with respect to block 602 may additionally oralternatively be made based upon such a condition or conditions. Such acondition or conditions may include whether the mobile computing device(e.g., mobile computing device 204.1) is communicating via BLUETOOTHwith the vehicle, whether the vehicle is moving above a threshold speed,etc.

The method 600 may include collecting (which may also be referred toherein as “capturing”) telematics data associated with the vehicle(e.g., via the one or more mobile device processors and/or a telematicsapp such as the Telematics App discussed herein (e.g., the telematicsapp being or including aspects of alert notification application 346))(block 606). The telematics data may include at least one of GPSlocation data, speed data, heading data, lane data, braking data,cornering data, acceleration data, or route data of the vehicle (e.g.,vehicle 202.1) and may be collected while the vehicle is moving (block606).

The method 600 may include determining whether a hazard(s) is associatedwith a road on which the vehicle is being driven (e.g., on the road,within a threshold distance of the road, going to be within a thresholddistance of the road and/or the vehicle within a threshold amount oftime as the vehicle moves on the road, etc.) (block 608). One or morehazards may be detected by analyzing the collected/captured image,audio, and/or video data and the collected/captured telematics data via,for example, the one or more mobile device processors and/or thetelematics app (block 608). The one or more hazards may include, forexample, at least one of congestion, a vehicle accident(s) (e.g.,between truck 214 and collided vehicle 216, as shown in FIG. 2), apedestrian(s) (e.g., pedestrian 220), or an animal (e.g., animal 218)(block 608). The analysis of the collected/captured image, audio, and/orvideo data and the collected/captured telematics data may include use ofat least one of computer analysis or object recognition techniques onthe telematics data and/or the image, audio, and/or video data (block608). In various aspects, the mobile device telematics app (e.g., alertnotification application 346) may facilitate the analysis of, forexample, image data using any suitable image recognition and/or objectrecognition techniques, to identify objects, determine their size and/orshape, and/or to determine the distance between identified objects andthe vehicle in which the mobile computing device is located (block 608).

In some aspects, if it is determined that a hazard(s) is not associatedwith a road on which the vehicle is being driven, method 600 may revertto the collection of image, audio, and/or video data associated with thevehicle (block 604). If it is determined that a hazard(s) is associatedwith a road on which the vehicle is being driven, method 600 maycontinue (block 610).

The method 600 may include generating an alert (and/or recommendation)and/or a broadcast based upon and/or including the image, audio, and/orvideo data and the telematics data (block 610). The alert and/orbroadcast may be generated via, for example, the one or more mobiledevice processors (block 610). For instance, when the alert isgenerated, the alert may be based upon the image, audio, and/or videodata and the telematics data, and when the broadcast is generated, thebroadcast may include the image, audio, and/or video data and thetelematics data (block 610). In some aspects, the alert may be generatedwhen a hazard(s) is detected/determined to be present based upon theanalysis described above (e.g., in response to detection of thehazard(s)) (block 610). In some aspects, the broadcast may additionallyor alternatively be generated when the hazard(s) is detected/determinedto be present (e.g., in response to detection of the hazard(s)) (block610).

For instance, an alert(s) and/or recommendation(s) may be generated tomitigate risk associated with an object(s) detected if one or moreconditions are satisfied such that the detected object(s) is/areconsidered a hazard, where the actions described with respect to block608 may include determining whether the one or more conditions aresatisfied. For example, if a detected object is within a pre-determineddistance of the vehicle, is larger than a minimum threshold size,matches a specific profile shape corresponding to a known hazard, etc.,then a hazard may be determined to be associated with the road on whichthe vehicle is being driven and an alert may be generated. To provide anillustrative example, if an object recognition analysis is performed oncaptured images and this results in the identification of a matchedprofile corresponding to the shape and size of a herd of deer (or asingle deer), then such a hazard may be appropriately identified. Insuch a case, the mobile computing device may display (e.g., via display316) an indication to the driver of the vehicle recommending that thedriver slow down, change lanes, etc. (block 610). To provide anotherillustrative example, if the captured images are analyzed and match aprofile of the shape and size of a pedestrian (e.g., in a cross walk),the mobile computing device may display an indication to the driver ofthe vehicle recommending to stop the vehicle (block 610). Aspectsinclude audible or visual alerts being additionally or alternativelygenerated by the mobile computing device, such as “Deer Alert,”“Pedestrian Alert,” etc. (block 610).

The method 600 may include broadcasting the alert and/or the broadcastto at least one of a nearby vehicle(s) (e.g., within a predetermined orthreshold distance of the vehicle) or a smart infrastructurecomponent(s) (e.g., smart infrastructure component(s) 208) to facilitatealerting and/or warning at least one of other vehicles or drivers of ahazard(s) (e.g., hazardous conditions and/or vehicle accidents) (block612). In this manner, other drivers and/or vehicles may be alertedand/or warned of detected hazards that are likely to impact those otherdrivers and/or vehicles (block 612). In some aspects, the alert and/orthe broadcast may be broadcast to at least one of the nearby vehicle(s)or the smart infrastructure component(s) 208 by broadcasting the alertand/or the broadcast, and having other vehicles and/or smartinfrastructure component(s) 208 receive and process the alert and/or thebroadcast if the other vehicles and/or smart infrastructure component(s)208 determine that their respective geographic location(s) is/are withina predetermined or threshold distance of a geographic location of thevehicle from which the alert and/or the broadcast is sent (block 612).Thus, in some aspects, the alert and/or the broadcast may includegeographic location data of the vehicle from which the alert and/or thebroadcast is sent (block 612). In other aspects, the generated alertand/or broadcast may be provided on the mobile computing device of thegenerating vehicle locally and may not be broadcasted or otherwiseshared with other drivers and/or vehicles as described with respect toblock 612.

Broadcasting the alert and/or the broadcast may be performed via, forexample, at least one of the one or more mobile device processors, acommunication unit (e.g., communication unit 330), or a transceiver, andmay be performed via wireless communication or data transmission (block612). In some aspects, the alert and/or the broadcast may additionallyor alternatively be broadcast to another suitable device(s), such asexternal computing device 206 (block 612). In some aspects, the alertand/or the broadcast may include the telematics data and digital orother suitable data constituting the image, audio, and/or video data,and the telematics data and the digital or other suitable data mayinclude: (1) an indication of a Global Positioning System (GPS) locationof the hazard or an indication of a vicinity of the hazard, and (2) atype of the hazard (block 612).

The broadcast and/or the alert may be broadcasted to any suitable numberand/or type of devices and using any suitable communication protocol(s)(block 612). When both the alert and the broadcast are broadcasted (withthe broadcast including telematics data, in some examples), aspectsinclude such transmissions including a suitable identifier so thatalerts may be correlated with the telematics data when received byanother device (block 612).

The method 600 may include generating a local alert at the one or morenearby vehicles and/or the smart infrastructure component(s) (e.g.,smart infrastructure component(s) 208) (block 614). Thus, the nearbyvehicle(s) and/or smart infrastructure component(s) 208 may warn otherdrivers and/or vehicles (e.g., smart vehicles) of a hazard(s) uponreceiving and processing the alert and/or the broadcast (block 614). Insome aspects, the local alert may be generated based upon, for example,a comparison by a mobile computing device(s) of a nearby vehicle(s) ofgeographic location data of the nearby vehicle(s) (e.g., as collected bythe mobile computing device(s) of the nearby vehicle(s)) with theindication of the GPS location or the vicinity of the hazard and/or thetype of the hazard (as discussed above with respect to block 612) (block614). In this manner, the local alert may be generated when relevant orapplicable to the nearby vehicle(s) and otherwise not generated (block614).

With respect to smart infrastructure component(s) 208, and as discussedabove and shown in the example of FIG. 2, smart infrastructurecomponent(s) 208 may include an implementation as a roadside display(block 614). Upon receiving and processing the alert and/or broadcast,smart infrastructure component 208 implemented as a roadside display maygenerate a local alert by displaying a warning indicating “ACCIDENT 1MILE AHEAD” as shown in FIG. 2 (block 614). As discussed herein, such anaccident may be, for instance, an accident between truck 214 andcollided vehicle 216 (block 614). It should be appreciated that smartinfrastructure component(s) 208, when implemented as a roadsidedisplay(s), may display other types of messages and/or warnings, such asmessages and/or warnings with regard to congestion, animals, and/orpedestrians, etc. (block 614). In some aspects, a local alert(s) may begenerated at smart infrastructure component(s) 208 that are near (e.g.,within a predetermined or threshold distance of) the GPS location of thehazard or the vicinity of the hazard and/or that are otherwise nearroads that may be affected by the hazard (block 614). Whether the smartinfrastructure component(s) 208 are otherwise near roads that may beaffected by the hazard may be determined based upon, for example,navigational and/or map data in conjunction with the type of the hazard,where the navigational and/or map data may be included in the alertand/or broadcast to the smart infrastructure component(s) 208, forexample (block 614).

The method 600 may include relaying at least one of (1) the alert or (2)the telematics data and the image, audio, and/or video data from a smartinfrastructure component 208 to another vehicle(s) in a vicinity of thehazard (block 616). Thus, in one aspect, after receiving the alertand/or the broadcast, the smart infrastructure component 208 may relayat least one of (1) the alert or (2) the telematics data and the image,audio, and/or video data to another vehicle(s) (block 616).

The method 600 may include at least one of displaying, adjusting, orgenerating an insurance discount for vehicles having risk mitigation orprevention functionality such as that described herein (e.g.,functionality associated with analyzing mobile computing device image,audio, and/or video data and vehicle telematics data to generate alertsto facilitate warning drivers and/or smart vehicles of hazards) (block618). The at least one of the displaying, adjusting, or generating aninsurance discount may be performed via, for example, the one or moremobile device processors and/or an insurance provider remote server(e.g., external computing device 206) (block 618). Moreover, such actsmay be performed and results may be displayed or otherwise communicatedvia, for example, an insurance provider remote server and/or a mobilecomputing device, as also described hereinabove (block 618). In someaspects, the insurance discount may be time or mileage usage-based basedupon an amount of usage of the risk mitigation or preventionfunctionality, as also described hereinabove (block 618). Moreover, insome aspects, an insurance provider remote server (implementations ofwhich are discussed above) may adjust an insurance premium or discountby receiving telematics data from an insured mobile device or vehicle,which telematics data may include an indication of a level of usage ofthe alert, recommendation, and/or other functionality discussed herein(block 618).

To provide an illustrative example with reference to FIG. 2 and actionsdescribed with respect to the method 600, mobile computing device 204.1,which is located in vehicle 202.1, may actively capture images whilevehicle 202.1 is being driven. As vehicle 202.1 approaches an area inwhich a recent rock slide has blocked part of the road, mobile computingdevice 204.1 may determine, based upon object recognition beingperformed on the captured images in front of vehicle 202.1, that a laneis partially blocked, and issue an audible and/or visual alert to thedriver of vehicle 202.1 to avoid the hazard.

Continuing this example, aspects include mobile computing device 204.1generating and transmitting telematics data, which may include adescription of what is impacted by the hazard (e.g., rightmost laneblocked), the location of the hazard (e.g., geographic coordinates suchas latitude and longitude), the type of hazard (e.g., a rock slide),etc. This data may be received by another device, such as mobilecomputing device 204.2, for example. When vehicle 202.2 is within athreshold distance of the location of the hazard as specified by thetelematics data, aspects include mobile computing device 204.2 likewiseissuing an audible and/or visual alert to the driver of vehicle 202.2 toavoid the same hazard.

The method 600 may include additional, less, or alternate actions,including those discussed elsewhere herein, and/or may be implementedvia one or more local or remote processors (e.g., mobile device, remoteserver, and/or external computing device processors), or viacomputer-executable instructions stored on non-transitorycomputer-readable medium or media.

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of generating and usingtelematics or other vehicle data may be provided. The method may includecradling a mobile device within a vehicle; capturing image data via themobile device as the vehicle moves; analyzing image to detect hazards;generating an alert and/or recommendations to mitigate risk associatedwith the hazard detected; and/or generating a telematics data broadcastand transmitting the broadcast to other devices, such as to nearbyvehicles or smart infrastructure. The method may include additional,less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein,and/or may be implemented via one or more local or remote processors, orvia computer-executable instructions stored on non-transitorycomputer-readable medium or media.

The method may begin by cradling a mobile device within a vehicle. Forinstance, a mobile device may be put within a dashboard mounted cradle.The mobile device may sit within a cradle such that the mobile devicecan capture image, audio, or other data of things (e.g., vehicles,animals, pedestrians, etc.) located in front of, behind, outside of, oraround the vehicle.

The method may then continue by capturing image, audio, or other datavia the mobile device as the vehicle moves. For instance, images mayshow or capture animals, pedestrians, or other vehicles. The data may becaptured by a Telematics App stored on a mobile device memory unit, orexecuting on a mobile device processor.

The method may include analyzing the image, audio or other data todetect hazards. The mobile device Telematics App may analyze the imagedata, such as via object recognition techniques, to identify objects anddetermine their distance to the vehicle. If an object is within apre-determined distance, the method may include generating an alertand/or recommendations to mitigate risk associated with the hazarddetected. For instance, if a herd of deer is detected, it may berecommended to slow down. If a pedestrian is detected in a cross walk,it may be recommended to stop the vehicle. Audible or visual alerts maybe generated, such as “Deer Alert,” “Pedestrian Alert,” etc.

The method may include generating a telematics data broadcast andtransmitting the broadcast to other devices, such as to nearby vehiclesor smart infrastructure. For example, a mobile device Telematics App maytransmit the telematics data collected, including the image or audiodata mentioned above, to nearby vehicles, mobile devices, or smartinfrastructure for further analysis or usage.

An insurance provider remote server may adjust an insurance premium ordiscount based upon an insured having the foregoing functionality,and/or amount that the insured employs or uses that functionality. Forinstance, the insurance provider remote server may receive thetelematics data from an insured mobile device, and the telematics datamay include an indication of the level of usage of the alert,recommendation, and/or other functionality discussed herein.

Cradle Mounted Mobile Device

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of broadcasting informationrelated to hazardous conditions impacting vehicle travel may beprovided. The method may include (1) collecting, via a mobile devicecamera and/or associated processor(s) that is mounted within a vehicledashboard cradle and positioned to take images forward of a vehicle,images forward of the vehicle; (2) analyzing, via the mobile deviceprocessor(s), such as by using object recognition techniques, todetermine anomalous or hazardous conditions (such as a deer, pedestrian,or other vehicle) or detect an object impeding forward movement of thevehicle; (3) generating, via the mobile device processor(s), an alert(or other broadcast); and/or (4) broadcasting, via the mobile deviceprocessor(s), the alert via wireless communication or data transmissionto nearby vehicles or smart infrastructure to facilitate alerting othervehicles or drivers of hazardous conditions and/or vehicle accidents.

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of broadcastinginformation related to hazardous conditions impacting vehicle travel maybe provided. The method may include (1) collecting, via a mobile devicecamera and/or associated processor(s) that is mounted within a vehicledashboard cradle and positioned to take images forward of a vehicle,images forward of a moving vehicle; (2) collecting, via one or more(mobile device) processors or a Telematics App, telematics data,including GPS location, speed, heading, lane, braking, cornering,acceleration, and/or route data; (3) generating, via the mobile deviceprocessor(s), an alert based upon, or a broadcast including the imageslooking forward of the moving vehicle and/or the telematics data; and/or(4) broadcasting, via the mobile device processor(s) (and/or associatedtransceiver), the alert or broadcast (including image and telematicsdata) via wireless communication or data transmission to nearby vehiclesor smart infrastructure to facilitate alerting other vehicles or driversof hazardous conditions and/or vehicle accidents.

The foregoing methods may include additional, less, or alternateactions, including those discussed elsewhere herein. For the broadcastmay also include vehicle telematics data that includes data selectedfrom one or more of, and not limited to all of: a timestamp; one or moresensor metrics indicative of braking motion of the vehicle; one or moresensor metrics indicative of acceleration motion of the vehicle; one ormore sensor metrics indicative of cornering motion of the vehicle; andone or more sensor metrics indicative of a direction of the vehicle. Thetelematics data may include speed, acceleration, deceleration, GPSlocation, lane information, and/or other data of, or associated with,the vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the telematics data mayinclude one or more of, and not limited to all of: time, braking,acceleration, left turn, right turn, heading, GPS (Global PositioningSystem) speed, GPS latitude and longitude, gyroscope, battery level,and/or telephone usage information or data of, or associated with, thevehicle.

The method may include adjusting or generating an insurance discount forvehicles having the risk mitigation or prevention functionalityassociated with analyzing images for hazardous conditions, and/orgenerating a wireless communication broadcast including vehicletelematics data.

Exemplary System of Broadcasting Information Related to HazardsImpacting Vehicle Travel

As depicted by, and discussed in relation to, FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, forexample, in one aspect, a system of broadcasting information related tohazards impacting vehicle travel may be provided. The system may includea mobile computing device configured to: (1) mount within a vehicledashboard cradle so that the mobile computing device is positioned totake images forward of a vehicle; (2) collect telematics data of thevehicle when the vehicle is moving, the telematics data including atleast one of GPS location, speed, heading, lane, braking, cornering,acceleration, or route data of the vehicle (and/or other types oftelematics data discussed herein); (3) generate at least one of (1) analert based upon the telematics data and the images, or (2) broadcastingdata including the images and the telematics data; and/or (4) broadcastthe at least one of the alert or the broadcasting data to at least oneof (i) at least one nearby vehicle or (ii) at least one smartinfrastructure component via wireless communication or data transmissionto facilitate warning at least one of drivers or smart vehicles of atleast one of hazardous conditions or vehicle accidents upon the at leastone of the at least one nearby vehicle or the at least one smartinfrastructure component receiving and processing the at least one ofthe alert or the broadcasting data.

The system may include the at least one nearby vehicle. The at least onenearby vehicle may be configured to generate at least one local alert atthe at least one nearby vehicle to warn at least one of drivers or smartvehicles of at least one of hazardous conditions or vehicle accidentsupon receiving and processing the at least one of the alert or thebroadcasting data from the vehicle. The system may also include the atleast one smart infrastructure component. The at least one smartinfrastructure component may be configured to generate at least onelocal alert at the at least one smart infrastructure component to warnat least one of drivers or smart vehicles of at least one of hazardousconditions or vehicle accidents upon receiving and processing the atleast one of the alert or the broadcasting data that includes thetelematics data from the vehicle.

The mobile computing device may be configured to: analyze the telematicsdata and the images to detect a hazard on a road on which the vehicle isbeing driven, and/or generate the alert based upon the hazard detected.The mobile computing device may also be configured to: broadcast thealert via wireless communication or data transmission to the at leastone of the at least one nearby vehicle or the at least one smartinfrastructure component only after the hazard is detected from at leastone of computer analysis or object recognition techniques beingperformed on the telematics data and the images. The hazard may bedetected by identifying at least one of an animal, a pedestrian, or avehicle accident using an object recognition technique on the imagestaken forward of the vehicle.

The system may include an external computing device configured to atleast one of adjust or generate an insurance discount for vehicleshaving risk mitigation or prevention functionality associated withanalyzing mobile computing device image data and vehicle telematics datato generate alerts to facilitate warning at least one of drivers orsmart vehicles of at least one of hazardous conditions or vehicleaccidents, and/or a usage-based discount. The system may includeadditional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein.

Exemplary Mobile Computing Device for Facilitating Safer Vehicle Travel

As depicted by, and discussed in relation to, FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, forexample, in another aspect, a mobile computing device for facilitatingsafer vehicle travel may be provided. The mobile computing device mayinclude (a) a controller configured to (1) determine whether the mobilecomputing device is mounted in a vehicle; (2) collect, when it isdetermined that the mobile computing device is mounted in the vehicle,telematics data associated with the vehicle (which may include the typesof telematics data discussed elsewhere herein, and which may becollected via a Telematics App as discussed herein), and digital dataincluding at least one of digital image, digital audio, or digital videodata associated with at least one of an interior or exterior of thevehicle; (3) analyze the telematics data and digital data collected todetermine whether a hazard is associated with a road on which thevehicle is being driven; and/or (4) generate an alert when the hazard isdetected from the analysis of the telematics data and the digital data;and/or (b) a display configured to issue the alert to notify a driver ofthe vehicle of the hazard when the hazard is detected to facilitatesafer vehicle travel and vehicle collision avoidance.

The mobile device may also include a communication unit or transceiverconfigured to broadcast the telematics data and the digital data whenthe hazard is detected. The telematics data and the digital dataincluded in the broadcast may include an indication of (i) a GPSlocation of the hazard or a vicinity of the hazard and (ii) a type ofthe hazard. The telematics data and the digital data may be received bya second mobile computing device located in a second vehicle and maycause the second mobile computing device to issue an alert notifying adriver of the second vehicle of the hazard.

The mobile device may include a communication unit or transceiverconfigured to broadcast the telematics data and the digital data whenthe hazard is detected. The telematics data and the digital dataincluded in the broadcast further may include an indication of (i) a GPSlocation of the hazard or a vicinity of the hazard and (ii) a type ofthe hazard, and may be received by at least one smart infrastructurecomponent that relays at least one of (i) the alert or (ii) thetelematics data and the digital data onto at least one other vehicle inthe vicinity of the hazard.

The telematics data and the digital data may include the types of datadiscussed elsewhere herein, and may be collected and broadcast by aTelematics App. The controller may be configured to analyze thetelematics data and the digital data collected to determine whether thehazard is associated with the road on which the vehicle is being drivenby performing object recognition techniques on digital images capturedby the mobile computing device in a vicinity of the vehicle to detect atleast one object, including at least one of a pedestrian, an animal, oranother vehicle. The mobile computing device may be configured tomonitor an amount of time or mileage that the vehicle was driven withrisk mitigation or prevention functionality associated with analyzingthe telematics data and the digital data associated with the vehicle togenerate driving alerts for at least one of the driver or nearbyvehicles. The mobile computing device may be configured to broadcast theamount of time or an amount of mile-based usage of the risk mitigationor prevention functionality to an insurance provider remote server tofacilitate the insurance provider remote server at least one ofadjusting or generating an insurance discount based upon usage of therisk mitigation or prevention functionality by the driver.

The mobile computing device may be configured to at least one ofgenerate or display an auto insurance discount for the driver or thevehicle based upon at least one of (i) at least one of the vehicle orthe mobile computing device being configured with the risk mitigation orprevention functionality associated with the analysis of the telematicsdata and the digital data, or (ii) an amount of usage of the riskmitigation or prevention functionality by at least one of the driver orthe mobile computing device. The mobile device may include additional,less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhereherein.

Exemplary Method of Broadcasting Information Related to HazardsImpacting Vehicle Travel

As depicted by, and discussed in relation to, FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, forexample, in another aspect, a computer-implemented method ofbroadcasting information related to hazards impacting vehicle travel maybe provided. The method may include (1) collecting images forward of avehicle, via at least one of a mobile device camera or one or moremobile device processors of a mobile device that is mounted within avehicle dashboard cradle and positioned to take the images forward ofthe vehicle; (2) collecting, via at least one of the one or more mobiledevice processors or a telematics app, telematics data, including atleast one of GPS location, speed, heading, lane, braking, cornering,acceleration, or route data of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving(the telematics data may include other types of data, including thetypes of telematics discussed elsewhere herein); (3) generating, via theone or more mobile device processors, at least one of (i) an alert basedupon the images forward of the vehicle and the telematics data or (ii) abroadcast including the images forward of the vehicle and the telematicsdata; and/or (4) broadcasting, via at least one of the one or moremobile device processors, a communication unit, or a transceiver, the atleast one of the alert or the broadcast via wireless communication ordata transmission to at least one of (i) at least one nearby vehicle or(ii) at least one smart infrastructure component to facilitate alertingat least one of other vehicles or drivers of at least one of hazardousconditions or vehicle accidents.

The method may include broadcasting, via the communication unit or thetransceiver, the telematics data and the images forward of the vehiclewhen a hazard is detected, the telematics data and the images forward ofthe vehicle included in the broadcast further including an indication of(i) a GPS location of the hazard or a vicinity of the hazard and (ii) atype of the hazard. The broadcast (i) may be received by a second mobiledevice located in a second vehicle and (ii) may cause the second mobiledevice to issue an alert notifying a driver of the second vehicle of thehazard.

The method may include at least one of displaying, adjusting, orgenerating an auto insurance discount for the driver or the vehiclebased upon at least one of (i) at least one of the vehicle or the mobiledevice being configured with risk mitigation or prevention functionalityassociated with the collection of the telematics data and the imagesforward of the vehicle and analysis of the telematics data and theimages forward of the vehicle, or (ii) an amount of usage of the riskmitigation or prevention functionality by at least one of the driver orthe mobile device. The method may include monitoring or determining anamount of time or mileage that the vehicle was driven with riskmitigation or prevention functionality associated with analyzing thetelematics data and the images forward of the vehicle to generatedriving alerts for at least one of the driver or nearby vehicles.

The method may include identifying a hazard including or associated withat least one of an animal or a pedestrian, the at least one of theanimal or the pedestrian at least one of forward of or in a vicinity ofthe vehicle, by using an object recognition technique on at least one ofthe images forward of the vehicle or images in the vicinity of thevehicle. The method may include identifying a hazard including orassociated with at least one of a vehicle accident or congestion, the atleast one of the vehicle accident or the congestion at least one offorward of or in a vicinity of the vehicle, by using an objectrecognition technique on at least one of the images forward of thevehicle or images in the vicinity of the vehicle.

The method may include analyzing (i) the telematics data and (ii) atleast one of the images forward of the vehicle or images in a vicinityof the vehicle collected to determine whether a hazard is associatedwith a road on which the vehicle is being driven. This analyzing of (i)the telematics data and (ii) the at least one of the images forward ofthe vehicle or the images in the vicinity of the vehicle collected mayinclude the one or more mobile device processors performing objectrecognition techniques on images captured by the mobile device in thevicinity of the vehicle to detect at least one object, including atleast one of a pedestrian, an animal, or another vehicle. The method mayinclude additional, less, or alternate functionality, including thatdiscussed elsewhere herein, and/or may be implemented via one or morelocal or remote processors, transceivers, memory units, and otherelectronic componentry.

Additional Considerations

With the foregoing, an insurance customer may opt-in to a rewards,insurance discount, or other type of program. After the insurancecustomer provides their affirmative consent, an insurance providertelematics application and/or remote server may collect telematicsand/or other data (including image or audio data) associated withinsured assets, including before, during, and/or after aninsurance-related event or vehicle collision. In return, risk-aversedrivers, and/or vehicle owners may receive discounts or insurance costsavings related to auto, home, life, and/or other types of insurancefrom the insurance provider.

In one aspect, telematics data, and/or other data, including the typesof data discussed elsewhere herein, may be collected or received by aninsured's mobile device or smart vehicle, a Telematics App (includingthose discussed herein), and/or an insurance provider remote server,such as via direct or indirect wireless communication or datatransmission from a Telematics App running on the insured's mobiledevice, after the insured or customer affirmatively consents orotherwise opts-in to an insurance discount, reward, or other program.The insurance provider may then analyze the data received with thecustomer's permission to provide benefits to the customer. As a result,risk-averse customers may receive insurance discounts or other insurancecost savings based upon data that reflects low risk driving behaviorand/or technology that mitigates or prevents risk to (i) insured assets,such as vehicles or even homes, and/or (ii) vehicle operators orpassengers.

Although the disclosure provides several examples in terms of twovehicles, two mobile computing devices, two on-board computers, etc.,aspects include any suitable number of computing devices, vehicles, etc.For example, aspects include an external computing device receivingtelematics data and/or geographic location data from a large number ofcomputing devices (e.g., 100 or more mobile computing devices), andissuing alerts to those computing devices in which the alerts arerelevant in accordance with the various techniques described herein.

Although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description ofnumerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legalscope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forthat the end of this patent and equivalents. The detailed description isto be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possibleembodiment since describing every possible embodiment would beimpractical. Numerous alternative embodiments may be implemented, usingeither current technology or technology developed after the filing dateof this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

The following additional considerations apply to the foregoingdiscussion. Throughout this specification, plural instances mayimplement components, operations, or structures described as a singleinstance. Although individual operations of one or more methods areillustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of theindividual operations may be performed concurrently, and nothingrequires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated.Structures and functionality presented as separate components in exampleconfigurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component.Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single componentmay be implemented as separate components. These and other variations,modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of thesubject matter herein.

Additionally, certain embodiments are described herein as includinglogic or a number of routines, subroutines, applications, orinstructions. These may constitute either software (e.g., code embodiedon a machine-readable medium or in a transmission signal) or hardware.In hardware, the routines, etc., are tangible units capable ofperforming certain operations and may be configured or arranged in acertain manner. In example embodiments, one or more computer systems(e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or morehardware modules of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group ofprocessors) may be configured by software (e.g., an application orapplication portion) as a hardware module that operates to performcertain operations as described herein.

In various embodiments, a hardware module may be implementedmechanically or electronically. For example, a hardware module maycomprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured(e.g., as a special-purpose processor, such as a field programmable gatearray (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) toperform certain operations. A hardware module may also compriseprogrammable logic or circuitry (e.g., as encompassed within ageneral-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that istemporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. Itwill be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware modulemechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or intemporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may bedriven by cost and time considerations.

Accordingly, the term “hardware module” should be understood toencompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physicallyconstructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarilyconfigured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or toperform certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments inwhich hardware modules are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed),each of the hardware modules need not be configured or instantiated atany one instance in time. For example, where the hardware modulescomprise a general-purpose processor configured using software, thegeneral-purpose processor may be configured as respective differenthardware modules at different times. Software may accordingly configurea processor, for example, to constitute a particular hardware module atone instance of time and to constitute a different hardware module at adifferent instance of time.

Hardware modules may provide information to, and receive informationfrom, other hardware modules. Accordingly, the described hardwaremodules may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multipleof such hardware modules exist contemporaneously, communications may beachieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuitsand buses) that connect the hardware modules. In embodiments in whichmultiple hardware modules are configured or instantiated at differenttimes, communications between such hardware modules may be achieved, forexample, through the storage and retrieval of information in memorystructures to which the multiple hardware modules have access. Forexample, one hardware module may perform an operation and store theoutput of that operation in a memory device to which it iscommunicatively coupled. A further hardware module may then, at a latertime, access the memory device to retrieve and process the storedoutput. Hardware modules may also initiate communications with input oroutput devices, and may operate on a resource (e.g., a collection ofinformation).

The various operations of example methods described herein may beperformed, at least partially, by one or more processors that aretemporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured toperform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanentlyconfigured, such processors may constitute processor-implemented modulesthat operate to perform one or more operations or functions. The modulesreferred to herein may, in some example embodiments, compriseprocessor-implemented modules.

Similarly, the methods or routines described herein may be at leastpartially processor-implemented. For example, at least some of theoperations of a method may be performed by one or more processors orprocessor-implemented hardware modules. The performance of certain ofthe operations may be distributed among the one or more processors, notonly residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number ofmachines. In some example embodiments, the processor or processors,and/or processor-implemented modules, may be located in a singlelocation (e.g., within a vehicle environment, an infrastructurecomponent, a home environment, an office environment or as a serverfarm), while in other embodiments the processor(s) and/orprocessor-implemented modules may be distributed across a number oflocations.

The patent claims at the end of this patent application are not intendedto be construed under 35 U.S.C. §112(f) unless traditionalmeans-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as “means for”or “step for” language being explicitly recited in the claim(s).

This detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and doesnot describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possibleembodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. One may implementnumerous alternate embodiments, using either current technology ortechnology developed after the filing date of this application.

What is claimed:
 1. A system of broadcasting information related tohazards impacting vehicle travel, the system comprising: a mobilecomputing device configured to: mount within a vehicle dashboard cradleso that the mobile computing device is positioned to take images forwardof a vehicle; collect telematics data of the vehicle when the vehicle ismoving and the mobile computing device is mounted within the vehicledashboard cradle, the telematics data including Global PositioningSystem (GPS) location data, speed data, at least one of direction dataor heading data, braking data, cornering data, and at least one ofacceleration data or deceleration data of the vehicle; generate at leastone of (1) an alert based upon the telematics data and the images, or(2) broadcasting data including the images and the telematics data;broadcast the at least one of the alert or the broadcasting data to atleast one of (1) at least one nearby vehicle or (2) at least one smartinfrastructure component via wireless communication or data transmissionto warn at least one of drivers or smart vehicles of at least one ofhazardous conditions or vehicle accidents upon the at least one of theat least one nearby vehicle or the at least one smart infrastructurecomponent receiving and processing the at least one of the alert or thebroadcasting data; and cause an insurance provider remote server to atleast one of adjust or generate an insurance discount associated withthe vehicle for display to an insured customer associated with thevehicle via the mobile computing device in response to the mobilecomputing device being configured to (1) determine a relevance of anidentified anomaly based upon whether a location of the identifiedanomaly as determined based upon the telematics data and the images iswithin a threshold distance of a current location of the vehicle, and(2) generate and broadcast the at least one of (i) the alert based uponthe telematics data and the images, or (ii) the broadcasting dataincluding the images and the telematics data so as to incentivize theinsured customer to facilitate warning at least one of drivers or smartvehicles of at least one of hazardous conditions or vehicle accidents.2. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising: the at leastone nearby vehicle, wherein the at least one nearby vehicle isconfigured to generate at least one local alert at the at least onenearby vehicle to warn at least one of drivers or smart vehicles of atleast one of hazardous conditions or vehicle accidents upon receivingand processing the at least one of the alert or the broadcasting datafrom the vehicle.
 3. The system of claim 1, the system furthercomprising: the at least one smart infrastructure component, wherein theat least one smart infrastructure component is configured to generate atleast one local alert at the at least one smart infrastructure componentto warn at least one of drivers or smart vehicles of at least one ofhazardous conditions or vehicle accidents upon receiving and processingthe at least one of the alert or the broadcasting data that includes thetelematics data from the vehicle.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein themobile computing device is further configured to: analyze the telematicsdata and the images to detect a hazard on a road on which the vehicle isbeing driven, and generate the alert based upon the hazard detected. 5.The system of claim 4, wherein the hazard is detected by identifying atleast one of an animal, a pedestrian, or a vehicle accident using anobject recognition technique on the images taken forward of the vehicle.6. The system of claim 4, wherein the mobile computing device is furtherconfigured to: broadcast the alert via wireless communication or datatransmission to the at least one of the at least one nearby vehicle orthe at least one smart infrastructure component only after the hazard isdetected from at least one of computer analysis or object recognitiontechniques being performed on the telematics data and the images.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising: the insurance provider remoteserver, wherein the insurance provider remote server is configured to atleast one of adjust or generate the insurance discount for the vehicle.8. A mobile computing device for facilitating safer vehicle travel, themobile computing device comprising: a controller configured to:determine whether the mobile computing device is mounted in a vehicle;collect, when it is determined that the mobile computing device ismounted in the vehicle, (1) telematics data associated with the vehicle,the telematics data including Global Positioning System (GPS) locationdata, speed data, at least one of direction data or heading data,braking data, cornering data, and at least one of acceleration data ordeceleration data of the vehicle, and (2) digital data including atleast one of digital image, digital audio, or digital video dataassociated with at least one of an interior or exterior of the vehicle;and analyze the telematics data and digital data collected to determinewhether a hazard is associated with a road on which the vehicle is beingdriven; and at least one of a communication unit or a transceiverconfigured to: broadcast the telematics data and the digital data whenthe hazard is detected from the analysis of the telematics data and thedigital data; and cause an insurance provider remote server to at leastone of adjust or generate an insurance discount associated with thevehicle for display to an insured customer associated with the vehiclevia the mobile computing device in response to the mobile computingdevice being configured to (1) determine a relevance of an identifiedanomaly based upon whether a location of the identified anomaly asdetermined based upon the telematics data and the digital data is withina threshold distance of a current location of the vehicle, and (2)analyze the telematics data and the digital data to determine whetherthe hazard is associated with the road on which the vehicle is beingdriven so as to incentivize the insured customer to facilitate warningat least one of drivers or smart vehicles of hazards, wherein thetelematics data and the digital data are received by at least one of (1)a second mobile computing device located in a second vehicle thatissues, in response to the telematics data and the digital data, analert notifying a driver of the second vehicle of the hazard, or (2) atleast one smart infrastructure component that transmits, in response tothe telematics data and the digital data, at least one of (a) an alertor (b) the telematics data and the digital data onto at least one of thesecond vehicle or at least one other vehicle in the vicinity of thehazard.
 9. The mobile computing device of claim 8, wherein thetelematics data and the digital data included in the broadcast furtherinclude an indication of (1) a GPS location of the hazard or a vicinityof the hazard and (2) a description of the hazard.
 10. The mobilecomputing device of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured toanalyze the telematics data and the digital data collected to determinewhether the hazard is associated with the road on which the vehicle isbeing driven by performing object recognition techniques on digitalimages captured by the mobile computing device in a vicinity of thevehicle to detect at least one object, including at least one of apedestrian, an animal, or another vehicle.
 11. The mobile computingdevice of claim 8, wherein the mobile computing device is configured tomonitor an amount of time or mileage that the vehicle was driven withrisk mitigation or prevention functionality associated with analyzingthe telematics data and the digital data associated with the vehicle togenerate driving alerts for at least one of a driver of the vehicle ornearby vehicles.
 12. The mobile computing device of claim 11, whereinthe mobile computing device is configured to broadcast the amount oftime or an amount of mile-based usage of the risk mitigation orprevention functionality to the insurance provider remote server tocause the insurance provider remote server to at least one of adjust orgenerate the insurance discount based upon usage of the risk mitigationor prevention functionality by a driver of the vehicle.
 13. The mobilecomputing device of claim 11, wherein the mobile computing device isconfigured to at least one of generate or display the insurance discountbased upon an amount of usage of the risk mitigation or preventionfunctionality associated with the analysis of the telematics data andthe digital data by at least one of a driver of the vehicle or themobile computing device.
 14. The mobile computing device of claim 8,wherein the controller is further configured to generate a driving alertwhen the hazard is detected, and wherein the mobile computing devicefurther comprises: a display configured to issue the driving alert tonotify a driver of the vehicle of the hazard when the hazard isdetected.
 15. A computer-implemented method of broadcasting informationrelated to hazards impacting vehicle travel, the method comprising:collecting images forward of a vehicle, via at least one of a mobiledevice camera or one or more mobile device processors of a mobile devicethat is mounted within a vehicle dashboard cradle and positioned to takethe images forward of the vehicle; collecting, via at least one of theone or more mobile device processors or a telematics app, telematicsdata, including Global Positioning System (GPS) location data, speeddata, at least one of direction data or heading data, braking data,cornering data, and at least one of acceleration data or decelerationdata of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving; generating, via the oneor more mobile device processors, at least one of (1) an alert basedupon the images forward of the vehicle and the telematics data or (2) abroadcast including the images forward of the vehicle and the telematicsdata; broadcasting, via at least one of the one or more mobile deviceprocessors, a communication unit, or a transceiver, the at least one ofthe alert or the broadcast via wireless communication or datatransmission to at least one of (1) at least one nearby vehicle or (2)at least one smart infrastructure component to warn at least one ofother vehicles or drivers of at least one of hazardous conditions orvehicle accidents; and causing an insurance provider remote server to atleast one of adjust or generate an insurance discount associated withthe vehicle for display to an insured customer associated with thevehicle via the mobile device in response to the mobile device beingconfigured to (1) determine a relevance of an identified anomaly basedupon whether a location of the identified anomaly as determined basedupon the images forward of the vehicle and the telematics data is withina threshold distance of a current location of the vehicle, and (2)generate and broadcast the at least one of (i) the alert based upon theimages forward of the vehicle and the telematics data, or (ii) thebroadcast including the images forward of the vehicle and the telematicsdata so as to incentivize the insured customer to facilitate warning atleast one of other vehicles or drivers of at least one of hazardousconditions or vehicle accidents.
 16. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 15, the method further comprising broadcasting, via thecommunication unit or the transceiver, the telematics data and theimages forward of the vehicle when a hazard is detected, the telematicsdata and the images forward of the vehicle included in the broadcastfurther including an indication of (1) a GPS location of the hazard or avicinity of the hazard and (2) a description of the hazard, and whereinthe broadcast (1) is received by a second mobile device located in asecond vehicle and (2) causes the second mobile device to issue an alertnotifying a driver of the second vehicle of the hazard.
 17. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 15, the method further comprisingat least one of displaying, adjusting, or generating the insurancediscount based upon an amount of usage of risk mitigation or preventionfunctionality associated with the collection of the telematics data andthe images forward of the vehicle and analysis of the telematics dataand the images forward of the vehicle by at least one of a driver of thevehicle or the mobile device.
 18. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 15, the method further comprising monitoring or determining anamount of time or mileage that the vehicle was driven with riskmitigation or prevention functionality associated with analyzing thetelematics data and the images forward of the vehicle to generatedriving alerts for at least one of a driver of the vehicle or nearbyvehicles.
 19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, the methodfurther comprising identifying a hazard including or associated with atleast one of an animal or a pedestrian, the at least one of the animalor the pedestrian at least one of forward of or in a vicinity of thevehicle, by using an object recognition technique on at least one of theimages forward of the vehicle or images in the vicinity of the vehicle.20. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, the method comprisingidentifying a hazard including or associated with at least one of avehicle accident or congestion, the at least one of the vehicle accidentor the congestion at least one of forward of or in a vicinity of thevehicle, by using an object recognition technique on at least one of theimages forward of the vehicle or images in the vicinity of the vehicle.